


Drowning Under The Current

by HelloHi43110



Category: Mystic Messenger (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Combining all routes, Gun Violence, Multi, One tangible route, Polyamory, Soulmates, Spoilers, Suicide Attempt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-08
Updated: 2018-02-23
Packaged: 2018-10-29 10:39:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 46
Words: 125,446
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10852287
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HelloHi43110/pseuds/HelloHi43110
Summary: Seven souls, all bound by a promise to love eternally.The last of us has finally been born. Fate will dictate when we meet again.Our journey into saving each other has just started, and it will not end until we bring unlucky number seven home to us.





	1. If I Reach Out My Hand, Will You Take It?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prologue
> 
> "When the world gets too tough, knowing that there is someone at the end of the tunnel is all you need to gather strength and start pulling yourself back up."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I couldn't pick just one, so I chose all of them ><

Drowning Under the Current

* * *

_Do you believe in the afterworld?_

_This is what V and I believe. Well, it’s actually more like I believe what V thinks… It’s a bit different from what my religion tells me._

_When my body dies… my soul becomes free and can go anywhere. It can go across dimensions to a world where anything is possible._

_What should I call that place? Heaven… maybe? And… when I go to heaven, I can meet other souls that have lived with me, and visit my friends on Earth._

_But… because there is no body, the souls can’t feel or touch each other. My friends on Earth won’t be able to feel or touch me either._

_So when you meet another soul in heaven and fall in love, it becomes painful. So they make a promise to each other._

_…To have a body on Earth and experience love together._

_V and I… might have been two souls that met in heaven._

_Because I feel it… It was fate…_

_\- Rika_

_< Mystic Messenger, Casual Story, 4th Day VNM>_

* * *

 

I was fifteen months old when my parents said my soul mate marks appeared down my back. Yes, multiple marks. The six other souls that have touched mine, and I have touched theirs. These six people who I made a promise to back in heaven, and who have made a promise to me. 

To meet once more on Earth.

The last of us has finally been born. Fate will dictate when we meet again. I don’t know who they are this time around. I don’t know who we were last time, if we were here before, that is. I don’t know if they’re male or female, men, women, neither, or both. The only thing I know is the color of their soul and the crest that marks them. The six crests going up and down my spine are in an array of pretty colors. These same marks, with the exclusion of their own and the inclusion of mine also decorated their bodies.

Names were a human custom. Souls weren’t given names, after all, just stamped with a crest and shined with a color. It was a human who gave the tinier human a name. However, finding your soul mate through one’s name would have been much easier.

Although… having six partners was a bit…

A soul mate wasn’t a person that you were forced to have romantic relations with, per say. The person with the soul you met in heaven was someone you couldn’t live without. You need their support to push through the next day reality threw at you. There are times when people like to be by themselves, but feeling out casted to the cruel world alone was too much for any soul to handle.

Does having six partners make my soul, and consequently the others, weak; too fragile for the current society? Or was it that we sought comfort and guidance from each other that made us strong? No matter the case, I hope everyone finds each other. I wonder how long fate will have us wait until we meet.

Polyamorous relationships weren’t common, but they existed. My parents were shocked when they saw my markings, having been a couple with a more traditional romantic relationship – just the two of them. But they accepted the fact, thankfully. It wasn’t as though I consciously choose who or how many soul mates I will have. I need them, and they need me. That’s what I want to believe anyways.

It happens sometimes. When soul mates don’t choose each other as partners. When they think they found love in someone else. When they don’t believe in soul mates at all. When it inevitably comes crashing down, and you start to wonder what real love is. You can love your friends; you can love your family. But you can never betray the person who has left a mark on your body and who you left a mark on. Instinctually, you know that no matter how you hurt them, or how they hurt you, you’ll be by their side come morning again.

Staying by them through thick and thin is what I believe to be a soul mate.

The moment one met their soul mate in the real world, the mark their soul made on your body would start to burn. A pleasurable, agonizing burn, like something was being seared onto your skin, but at the same time a weight lifting from your shoulders. Maybe everyone was just secretly a masochist…

There were tons of online videos that showed people who were casually walking suddenly clutch at their body in shock - as sudden and as powerful as a lightning bolt from the sky. As they look at each other, the surrounding people most times liked to clap and cheer. Both endearing and embarrassing at the same time, although I am sure they were glad to have found their soul mate

I wonder how fate planned my meeting with my soul mates.

During our unconscious hours in sleep, our soul sometimes wandered to each other, creating a dream state in our minds – a peaceful place where it was both foggy and clear all at once. The only sounds in our dreamscape were that of nature, presumably sounds that at least one of us has heard before. No one could talk even if we wished to. To physically touch was surreal. It was like our bodies were transparent, ghost like. A Soul. Faces were never seen, either – almost as though they were smeared away with too much sunlight.

My parents told me the dreamland was like our souls slowly reconnecting, relearning about each other. The most important thing was, our dream universe showed us each other’s emotional states. Were we happy? Healthy? Unwell?

Sometimes we didn’t meet, our souls falling asleep as well and succumbing to an actual dream. I wonder if I succumbed to the restless dream, would the others, who didn’t, see my dream and watch it like a movie? That would probably be embarrassing. Mom and dad said it had never occurred to them, so I’ll just have to take their word for it.

At first, the six of us just wandered around our dreamscape on our own, not knowing how to interact. As the days passed, one of our soul mates went first. Disappearing from our nightly wanderings and silent companionship.

They were ailing. Drowning in what was once a beautiful ocean, but discovering the inky black depths of despair instead.

The other six of us had no idea what to do. We sat on the edge, waiting, watching over them. Hoping they’d come back up for air. We tried going in pairs, holding hands and wading through the water to them. Touching was an interesting concept. Even though their hand was in mine, I couldn’t feel their hand and only felt their warmth. It was more so similar to holding a hand-warming pouch. Even if we couldn’t pull them free of the suffocating waters, we could give them encouraging warmth. Promises that someone else was there for them.

It was too late when the other four of us realized. Two more souls were already submerging, the suffocating grasp of misery taking hold of the red and light blue souls. Throughout all of our trial and errors with the dark blue soul, the other two were slowly sinking in each time we waded in.

Not long after, another of us was already falling in. Yellow. And then another. Silver.

I couldn’t say that the dark, unknown depths of the ocean weren’t inviting to me, as well.

It was lonely. Home alone, again. How many times was it now? I’ve lost count. My parents were famous pianists. Holding concerts, sometimes solo, sometimes duets. Getting offered to play for a famous singer’s concert, orchestras, and legendary people’s parties. They travelled more often than I went to and from school every year – or so it felt like. Promises to be home for my birthday. Promises to come to my graduation. A school play. A recital. Mother’s day. Father’s day. Their own birthdays. New Years. Christmas. All broken most of the time.

 

_“We’re so sorry, something came up, sweetie.”_

_“We sent you something nice.”_

 

Important holidays were when they were most busy. When everyone else was spending time with his or her family, I felt even more isolated.

How many times did I throw their gifts against the wall in frustration, only to feel guilty and try to fix it up? Sometimes, my nanny let me throw a tantrum out of pity. I didn’t want it.

It was so lonely.

Don’t get me wrong; I love them, with all of my heart. And I know they love me. I understood, ultimately. They were busy. Making a living so I could have a good future. The free times when they did come home were the warmest days of the year. Showered in affection, getting to sit close and feel their warmth. Listening as they taught me something they were so passionate about.

The other days of the year, the place I was supposed to call home was just a house. It was too cold inside to be called anything else.

Eventually, I too started drowning.

The poor green soul was beside itself. Losing the six of us to the inky depths of emotional turmoil. The ocean swallowing us up. After some time had passed, the green soul calmed down, creating a routine. Wading into the water by themselves, and checking on us. Sharing a little bit of warmth and companionship each time. When it rained in our dreamscape, the little green soul gathered us up and held an umbrella over all of us, like it mattered.

Without the green one, we, the ones sinking, naturally fled from each other. I don’t know what their reasons were, but I didn’t want them feeling bad for me. I didn’t want to burden them more. I didn’t want to accidentally pull them down further.

I didn’t want us to drown each other.

As I grew older, I started to come to terms with myself. It was okay to feel lonely. It was okay to feel angry. Was I considered abandoned most of the time? I don’t know for sure. Mom and dad love me. Knowing at least that, I started to be okay. But I’m another soul on this planet. I, too, am worth something.

Besides, there were people waiting for me. I was waiting for them, too.

That’s why soul mates exist, I learned. When the world gets too tough, knowing that there is someone at the end of the tunnel is all you need to gather strength and start pulling yourself back up.

Is the grass greener on the other side?

I’d like to think so.

It was just the green soul and me that roamed on land for a while in our dreamscape. We made our rounds each time, giving the other five a good amount of warmth and support. They were never alone.

It was a slow process, but the weight attached to their ankle seemed to lighten, and they started to come up for air. All but one, who seemed stuck underwater. Almost as though they stopped feeling our warmth – like they were being clouded over.

It was a year and a half ago from today that I found myself alone on land. The green soul had fallen. The others as well had also sunken again. All of them except the light blue soul who was still struggling to surface this whole time. Almost like it was synchronized.

Did they already find each other? Did they experience the same tragedy?

I remember sticking my hand into the frigid sea of emotions, finding that they were drowning deeper than ever. Probably as bad as when they first fell into the murky depths. The chill it sent up my spine didn’t bother me anymore. Reaching desperately, the water crashed against my shoulder, soaking my face. My fingertips barely skimmed against them.

I have to be strong, not just for myself, but for them too. If I can be strong enough for all of us, even if it’s just for a little while, will they have confidence in me? Rely on me?

If I reach out my hand, will you take it?

 

* * *

  

“Good work today!” I cheered along with my coworkers. It was nearing eleven at night and we had just finished up. Thank goodness.

My best friend, who just so happened to be my coworker as well, and I left the building together. She stretched her arms up, letting out a sigh of relief.

“I’m so hungry.”

I laughed at her a bit. “Let’s go get something to eat, then. You and I both know we’ll just fall asleep if we try cooking at home.”

We ended up begging our manager to let us go instead of heading straight home. We promised to stay in more public areas for safety, but put on anti dust mouth masks to lessen our chances of being recognized. That would become quite the pain especially with our state of hunger. And our job… But who was going to notice at this time of night? The only ones out in heavily populated places at this time of night were people looking for food and socialization. Maybe booze, too.

Although the food we ate was probably terrible for our bodies, especially since we were going to sleep right when we get home, there were no regrets. On our way back through the busy people looking for the next food stall to feast at, I spotted a goldfish shaped bread stand at the edge of the market place.

“Well, fine, just don’t be long.” Seo-Yeon, my best friend, cautioned me. She then, also, spotted something delicious looking in the distant that probably enticed her brain into thinking that her stomach had room for more. “If we can’t find each other in, at most, twenty minutes, call me. Repeatedly.”

“Same goes for you.” I promised, lightly jogging to the stall. Yummy~

As I finished buying my late night treat, I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket. Thinking it was Seo-Yeon, I quickly took it out.

Hm? A text message? From an app, no less.

Did I download this application? I don’t remember. Maybe Seo-Yeon did. She always liked using group chats like these. Probably sent me a picture of her new food item to make me jealous and beg her to give me some in exchange for goldfish shaped bread when we get home.

Well, no matter. I clicked on the app, watching the odd load screen with a bunch of green text pop up. 

 

Unknown: …Hello…?

Unknown **:** Can you see this?

 

            What?


	2. What Happened To My Sense Of Self-Preservation?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prologue, Day One
> 
> Welcome to the R.F.A.!
> 
> "With V’s approval, I was invited into the organization."

I am dumb. I am stupid.

I’m dumb and stupid.

What was I thinking?! Just because this random guy started spouting things about his religion saying to perform good deeds, I felt compelled to agree. I’d like to think I’m a good person.

I fell for it hook, line, and sinker.

It’s well into the night. A lone girl, walking to an unknown apartment, tracking down some owner of a phone, who wasn’t even home, and then just getting convinced to enter the passcode and walk in?!

What happened to my sense of self-preservation?

My parents raised me to be smarter than this. If not them, then my nanny sure did. Don’t talk to strangers. Don’t get lured in by promises of treats. Be where you’re supposed to be so you don’t make anyone worry. I remember my nanny yelling at me when I came home later than the agreed time without calling.

Speaking of which, Seo-Yeon is probably waiting for me. I looked at the top of my phone, trying not to be distracted by the chat bubbles flowing up my screen at an incredible rate. I had just over five minutes before the twenty-minute mark. When _Unknown_ had told me the address, it really wasn’t that far from the late night outdoor food market. I took my chances and jogged there, hoping I’d do at least one good deed today. Now that I’ve sat down and cleared my thoughts, I realize how foolish that was. Anything could have happened to me!

Luckily, nothing but an empty apartment greeted me.

Well, an empty apartment and five people in a chat room. Six if you count the text message that _Unknown_ sent. He didn’t even answer yet. He wasn’t dangerous, was he?

Why lead me here, to these people?

These people who were currently doing a background check on me. Not that I’ve ever done anything unlawful, but this might not bode well. I hope my manager doesn’t pop a vein… He probably will. I went out to a stranger’s apartment all by myself, in the middle of the night. I yelled at myself, too. At least these people were kind enough to introduce themselves to me. Name, age, occupation, everything you probably wouldn’t tell a complete stranger. One even owned a cute cat. And the other guy abused it…?

Since they were being honest with me, I will be honest with them about everything that happened in the last ten or so minutes.

 

**Jumin Han:** Until we figure out who MC is

**Jumin Han:** I don’t want to reveal anything.

**Jaehee Kang:** I agree.

**707:** Wecan.

**707:** Sorry callingvandtypingwithonehand

**Yoosung:** Type after you finish the call.

**707:** Lookedintoownerofdevice

**707:** she’scutelol

**Yoosung:** You did a background check on her!? So MC is definitely a girl?

**MC:** You’re not violating my…

**707:** Itolduimahacker

**707:** Butnoevidenceididit

**707:** …

**707:** Oooohhhhh~

 

I guess I should be honest about my identity, too. He hacked into it anyways, nothing I can hide now. I even used my initials for the username the app made me set in hopes it would conceal at least a little. I also thought I was only going to leave a message about someone having found a phone…

 

**707:** Aren’tyoupopularlololol

**Jumin Han:** What? It’s really a girl?

**707:** Ya.

_V has entered the chatroom_

**ZEN:** Show me a photo

**707:** Nope~

**707:** How dare you try to violate someone’s privacy like that.

**707:** <photo>

           

For a second, I really thought he did it. Turns out it was a picture of their other member, Jaehee Kang. I guess we’re all flustered. They couldn’t even recognize her.

Apparently, the apartment I’m in is top secret, the passcode even more so. Everyone started making guesses as to how I was brought here. This Rika person having sent someone to continue what she started or I was just some shady invader. In the end, V convinced them to just believe him for now.

With V’s approval, I was invited into the organization. But at the same time, threatened to stay…in a polite way…of sorts. They didn’t need my signature either...

Rika. RFA. V. How to use the app. I was informed of everything I needed to know.

 

**707:** Anyways, welcome MC.

**Yoosung:** Welcome!! Good luck to us.

**ZEN:** Glad you joined, MC ^^

**Jumin Han:** We’ll see how you do.

**Jaehee Kang:** For now, I look forward to working with you.

**ZEN:** Oh… By the way

**ZEN:** I had a good dream last night. I think I saw you there…

**ZEN:** Or not. Bye~!

_ZEN has left the chatroom._

_Jumin Han has left the chatroom._

_Jaehee Kang has left the chatroom._

_Yoosung has left the chatroom._

**707:** Congratulations on the new release by the way~

_707 has left the chatroom._

           

He must mean the music video we released just last night. Seo-Yeon and I watched it go live online at our label company’s building. It was an exhilarating yet nerve-wracking experience that I don’t think I will ever get used to. 707, or Luciel as I learned his name was, left before I could thank him for the congratulations. The others also left before seeing him post that. I let out a sigh of relief. Questions could wait. And I have to talk to my manager… There was nothing bad about joining a charity organization, so there was no way it could hurt my image, and more importantly, Seo-Yeon’s image. The RFA was actually a pretty reputable association; even I’ve heard of it in passing the past few years, although not recently. I suppose I know why now.

No one said I couldn’t leave, so I hurriedly exited the apartment, making sure to close the door securely. If I ran, I’d probably make it back before twenty-five minutes passed since I parted ways with my best friend. Still late. Half way back to the fish bread stand, Seo-Yeon called.

_“Why are you out of breath? Are you running?!”_ she asked worriedly.

“It’s nothing!” I reassured her. “I’m going back now, just a couple more minutes.”

_“Going back? Where did you go?”_

“… Returning a lost phone.”

On our way home, I told Seo-Yeon everything that happened. The truth. We’ve been through thick and thin together; we held almost no secrets from each other at this point. In public, Seo-Yeon kept her cool. The moment we made it inside our shared apartment, she let all of her held in emotions release. She took me by the shoulders, shaking me at first before hugging me tightly.

“Don’t do that, stupid!” she yelled. “What am I supposed to do without you?”

“Sorry.” I replied softly. “I know I was stupid.”

“And joining some shoddy organization?!”

“It’s not shoddy…” I defended weakly. “Besides, it won’t take time away from me. It’s just answering a few emails, I think.”

“You think…” Seo-Yeon repeated dryly, letting go of me and rolling her eyes. “Just make sure you’re safe.”

“Won’t happen again.” I promised cheekily.

She huffed out a frustrated breath. “We should get some sleep. We have a long day tomorrow, too.”

“That talk show in the morning, and then practicing with the backup dancers, right? We have to keep at it before that music show.” I asked, wracking my memory. I then excitedly bounced in place. “The album releases tomorrow at midnight, too!”

“Ye-Jun said he’d treat us to dinner in celebration.” Seo-Yeon happily said. Ye-Jun was our manager’s name. He was a firm, but fair kind of man. Although I do wished we had more days off, but that was just a passing thought.

Seo-Yeon and I made up a K-Pop idol duo called YeonYeon. My name was Mi-Yeon Cho, so we shared the same second character in our names, thus our duet name. It wasn’t the most imaginative name, but it looked pretty on paper. It also sounded like the words “yum, yum” which fit nicely with the name for our fans, MiSeo Foodies. I wonder if our label did that on purpose. Miso was a traditional Japanese seasoning, and both Seo-Yeon and I had some Japanese blood in us – I more so than Seo-Yeon as my mother was fully Japanese.

We met when we were young and just starting our training at our label. It was fairly common to start as a trainee during our middle/secondary school years. Us and the other trainees had a tough time from the get-go. The training, the classes, the competition, and on top of it, our regular school life put so much stress on everyone’s shoulders. It was one thing after another, day in and day out. And even after all of that hard work, some of us never made it to the stage.

I really wondered why I chose such a career when I was young. I was born with musical genes in me, but I guess what I really wanted was some attention – even if it was fake. Maybe I also wanted to be really busy; I wanted the stress just so I didn’t have to think about how quiet my house was. I’d get home and pass out straight away only to repeat the same type of day over again. My parents were uncertain, but if it were something I wished to pursue, they’d support me. My parents were amazing like that, even if their support wasn’t always right in front of me.

Seo-Yeon and I had a lackluster debut during our late teen years. Duets were significantly less popular than idol groups with five or more members. Yet thankfully it wasn’t terrible enough to terminate our group, according to our label. They expected us to be less popular but placed us together as a duet due to our voices complimenting each other beautifully, almost otherworldly. During our starting years, I branched into some modeling while Seo-Yeon attempted acting to try to broaden our fan base. They were just small jobs here and there until YeonYeon gained a decent stardom or fell completely.

Our dreams finally came to fruition when our label gave us an electro-pop, dance-pop song to try as our title track. The two of us excelled in ballad and R&B like songs, able to capture our audience’s attention through our voices alone, so our label was a little doubtful if we could pull off such a song at first. With just the two of us, dancing and singing would exhaust us quicker than a larger girl group, but they gave us a shot. It was our first time trying to act alluring with such high energy dancing. In the end, it worked out. I, who was known to capture attention and convey messages through my eyes and aura, and Seo-Yeon, who was known to express the exact emotion needed through her voice, made a perfect duo.

That was the album just before this one. The two of us were still considered rising star idols, not yet at our peak of popularity. I’m eager to see how the public receives this next album. It has only been a little over three years since our debut, and although our rocky start wasn’t ideal, I’d say the experience made us stronger in this industry. It was thanks to everyone’s hard work that we made it so far so quickly.

As the two of us went off to prepare for bed, I saw my phone signaling that I had a notification. Looking at it, I saw that someone had entered the RFA chat room around midnight. Only Yoosung was in there right now. I guess I can start getting to know them, as long as we were going to be talking to each other from now on. It was easy chatting with him.

Our talk started off normal enough, but he was adorable. He doesn’t even know what I look like or what my actual name is, but he called me cute because the way I talk was cute. Even with some fans saying the same thing, it still made me blush a little. Yoosung also made me imagine him in a towel hat and I couldn’t help but giggle. He was rather a cutie himself.

After wishing Yoosung good luck on his game, Seven called. He started speaking in an odd accent, trying to convince me that my bank account was hacked into. If anyone hacked into it, I bet it was him… but anyways, he did know that his name showed up on screen, right? I didn’t save or receive any numbers, so the RFA app must have them already saved – and 707 was the one who created it. Assuming that, he should know… right?

Debating whether I should play along or not, there was a long pause.

“I’m hanging up…” I decided to say.

_“Noooo, nooooooo….”_ He begged me to stay on the line and then began to explain that I shouldn’t pick up calls like that. If I was ever unsure, he said I could call him to look into it for me. I started to feel bad for not playing along with how sweet he was being.

As we said goodnight, I randomly thought of the red soul that left its’ crest on my back. My soul mate. I wonder how they’re doing. I still have yet to meet any of them. I’m only 21 (Korean: 22), so I’m still young. However… I really want to meet at least one of them soon.

At least I get to see their soul in our dreamscape almost every night. And most of them have been doing better emotionally since that time. Although, they all seem to still have one foot in and one foot out of the water, it was progress. Good progress. The light blue soul hasn’t been able to surface, however. The only thing I know for sure about the light blue soul is that they aren’t dead. They can still be saved. When I meet them, I’m determined to drag them out of their hell no matter the cost.

Tonight, no one was really moving. I guess they didn’t fall asleep yet. Throughout the last few years, I’ve learned that all of us have pretty terrible sleep schedules. As an idol, myself, I wasn’t one to lecture. It was pretty common for some of us to not interact at all for days just because our sleep never matched up. I wonder what they’re up to late at night.

Hopefully, they weren’t out sending messages to mysterious people.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's no need to tell me I am awful at names and naming groups, I know~ ヽ(＊>∇<)ﾉ


	3. The Ones They Didn’t Know They Needed, Part One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fate was cruel. Fate was kind.
> 
> I don't want you. I hate you. I support you.
> 
> I need you. I'll love you forever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Caution: Spoilers.
> 
> Seriously, spoilers for everything from here on out.

Creating “Rika’s Fundraising Association” was her dream. Getting pulled into the organization along with them turned out to be fate. He thought he was only there to support his dearest, most cherished friends, but soon found that he had played right into fate’s hands. Like a chess piece being moved strategically.

He detested it.

Soul mates. Was the world kidding? Was God playing some kind of joke, moving his pieces as he saw fit? Was it amusing to watch?

Soul mates. He scoffed at the mere mention.

What were those, anyways?

People fell in and out of love like they just finished a book and moved on to the next one. Once they’re satisfactorily entertained, they move to the next novelty.

His father was always looking for a new _special_ person. Tossing aside his so called soul mate to have a liaison with the next pretty woman who showered him with affections. He wondered how his mother was doing. It had been too long since they exchanged pleasantries. As quickly as he thought it, the nostalgia quickly disappeared. His mother was probably being pampered by her new “love” as well.

It was hypocritical of his father to say that soul mates were important. So what if his parents agreed to separate romantically. So what if his father claimed that him and the woman Jumin called mother stayed in contact for emotional support, someone to talk to during the hard times. These two people who were “soul mates” strayed and moved on to the next new thing.

Nonetheless, Jumin couldn’t deny that maybe soul mates meant at least _a little something._

In his dreamscape, he was always provided a little warm, caring, sincere contact every once in a while.

And…

Rika and V, who bore each other’s crests, seemed happy.

For them, at least… He hoped they remained blissfully unaware. He hoped they never started to question this unwarranted contract of souls. Even if he did curse his own markings, Jumin hoped the two truly did meet in heaven and promised to stay by each other’s sides.

No matter his curiosity for the notion called “love,” he’d rather be cursed and scorned before interfering with their bond. Even if the present emotion festered like boiling lava under his skin, he had to look the other way.

He detested _this_.

If this is what it felt like, he never wanted it in the first place. The six souls lining up his outer left calf didn’t mean anything. They’d all leave once they got what they wanted out of him, anyways. Lots of women damned their own soul mates to try to seduce him and gain his wealth.

Not Rika, however. She was happily in love with her soul mate, so it was a nice change. V’s soul mate was also dead set on having someone else they knew join her new “Rika’s Fundraising Association,” a hacker working for an intelligence agency. Jumin wasn’t aware they knew such a person, but it was very much like the couple to have helped the boy out of a bad situation.

The situation was kept secret from him, so he didn’t pry. It would be a waste of energy if they didn’t want to talk about it in the first place. Jumin had yet to meet the man, but apparently he made an application just for the organization for free. It was supposedly more secure than anything Jumin could have bought with money. If V and Rika put this much trust in their friend, then Jumin would put his trust in them.

The application was sent over to his phone wirelessly, but Rika insisted that Jumin meet the hacker. She wanted Jumin to have more friends, or something like that. V also thought it was a good idea. Luciel, or 707 as he liked to be called, also needed more companionship after his hard life.

Jumin reluctantly agreed. He could never deny his two friends. Reaching out to the hacker through the new app, Jumin told the other man honestly that it was Rika and V that wanted them to meet. He was given a quirky, overly energetic response and was asked if Jumin was paying. Not that Jumin cared, but he agreed to pay for lunch.

V and Rika didn’t join them as Rika was off doing more volunteer work and V went with her to capture the moment through his camera lens. Having obtained Luciel’s address from V, Jumin asked Driver Kim to drive him to the hacker’s home. Arriving at the place, Jumin stepped out of his car and rang the doorbell. The door spoke to him. He spied a CCTV aimed straight at the spot he stood at and gave it a dry look. Before the door could repeat what it said, it opened to reveal a young man with stunning red hair.

Bright gold eyes met that of dark grey.

Jumin choked on his breath, falling to a knee as he clutched at his calf. His skin felt scorched but at the same time, a cozy, warm feeling rushed through his veins. The red haired man also let out a hiss, his body falling against the doorframe while he gripped his right forearm.

After the sensations were over, panicked gold eyes met his. Forgetting formality, Luciel grabbed Jumin’s arm, pulling him from the ground and into the house. With quickened breaths, Luciel paced back and forth, clutching his arm so hard that if the sleeve of his jacket weren’t in the way, his nails would have bitten into his skin.

Jumin cleared his throat, casually adjusting his clothes and dusting off any particles that weren’t supposed to be there. He waited impatiently for the younger man to calm down at least a little.

“Do you plan to keep me here all day? I do have more work to finish.” Jumin stated, checking his cufflink.

“Wha… You…?” Luciel mumbled, astonished.

“It doesn’t matter. Soul mates don’t particularly mean anything to me. We’ll carry on as we’re supposed to, working with Rika and V to raise funds for charity.”

“Oh. Good.” Luciel replied, more firmly, his nerves finally releasing away. “You shouldn’t get close to me anyways. I’m dangerous.”

“A hacker for an intelligence agency. I’m well aware.” Jumin said impassively.

Luciel looked away, not compelled to correct the businessman. The intelligence agency was only part of it. He absently rubbed at his right forearm. The marks were kept secret from the intelligence agency to the best of his ability. If they existed, so be it, as long as 707 EXTREME never met with them and told them his identity or anything about the agency. Anything else, his soul mates would most definitely be targeted and terminated immediately.

The intelligence agency was only part of it…

He was dangerous.

He deserved to be alone forever.

Seven convinced Jumin that he was only kidding about having the older man pay for lunch. This short meeting should be satisfactory to Rika, at least for now, so Seven urged Jumin to return to his work. With a dissatisfied huff for wasting his time in coming all the way out here, Jumin didn’t argue further. Taking one last glance at the boy, Jumin left.

Seven leaned back against his wall and slid down. He was lucky that this soul mate didn’t push any further. He hoped the others were just as unconcerned about him. Lifting up his sleeve, he rubbed at his skin with his thumb – the thick concealer smearing away to reveal a dark blue crest that was pulsing with warmth. The heat was slowly cooling, as Jumin got further away from him. He caressed the mark gently, feeling the lingering warmness. Letting out another sigh, he put his head in his arms.

Right… He also had work to get back to. Quickly shoving the sleeve back down to his wrist, Seven got up and trudged back to his computers.

Maybe in another life… Maybe in another life, he’d be worthy of them.

The souls who struggled so hard to pull him out of the raging ocean. The souls who gave him a sense of belonging for just a little while. Even if the dreamscape with his soul mates turned out to only be true dreams, he felt as though he owed them his entire existence… And yet…

And yet, to keep them safe, happy, and healthy, they had to stay away. He even had to part ways with his brother to give him a chance at freedom. Rika and V promised. If Saeyoung Choi could disappear, be undetectable, they’d get his sickly brother to a safe place. A safe place without the ever-watchful eyes of their father.

The intelligence agency was only part of it…

If he suddenly vanished, his soul mates wouldn’t have to mourn. They wouldn’t know him, so what was there to miss. Luciel Choi – 707 – would disappear and be forgotten just as easily as Saeyoung. So be it if the intelligence agency sent him on some death-defying mission. If his father got even the faintest hint of his illegitimate children, the hired assassins would be back. No doubt, especially with the reelections.

Having an affair with some strange woman was bad enough for the people to cast there votes elsewhere.

Having children with a woman who was not his soul mate or wife was an almost guaranteed loss in the election if the information was made public.

Staying by himself was best. Rika and V were supposed to be the only exceptions. He owed them a lot, as well. He’d do anything for them. Like join the RFA. Create a messenger. Meeting C&R Director, Jumin Han. Seven let his upper body collapse, his forehead hitting the keyboard with a loud thump. His computer protested with an error.

Rika and V were supposed to be the only exceptions. He supposed…them and whoever joined the RFA from now on would have to be exceptions. Seven just hoped this wasn’t how fate decided for him and his soul mates to meet.

He wanted to be alone. He didn’t want to hurt any more people by disappearing one day out of the blue. He didn’t want to hurt _them._

Fate was cruel.

Like a puppy following its owner, Yoosung joined the RFA. Determined to follow in Rika’s footsteps in helping those in need, the young boy set forth with purpose. Nearing the end of his secondary school years (high school), Yoosung used every minute of free time he had to study. He had perfect grades, perfect attendance, and shadowed Rika to her weekly volunteering work over the weekends.

Seven found him a bit uptight.

After talking almost daily through the messenger with Yoosung and the others, Seven slowly started to get a good grasp on his two new… new what? Friends? Co-workers?

What ever they were, he started to get into the swing of how to handle them. Jumin, although seemingly cold hearted, had a soft spot and over protective side to those he deemed dear to him. Yoosung, on the other hand, was criminally gullible. With 707’s quirky and loud personality, Seven easily overwhelmed the two. Jumin, who didn’t expend an ounce of energy on anything not worth his time, was often left exhausted after Seven annoyed him with questions of certain rumors. It was surprising that Jumin stayed for the majority of the time, humoring Seven at least for a little while. And now, Yoosung knew oodles of ‘interesting’ facts that may or may not be true.

With the five of them, the RFA was ready to start initiating their first party. The guests were mostly suggestions from Jumin and V, however Rika did a fantastic job in convincing them to attend. The association had just begun, leaving most potential guests skeptical. With a lot of trial and error and teamwork, the day had finally come.

As a member of Rika’s Fundraising Association, he was asked to arrive a bit earlier and make sure everything was going smoothly before the event started at noon. Seven got there earlier than anyone else. Silently slipping into the back rooms of the venue, he took it upon himself to check the security. Everything seemed to be in order, so before the real security guard came back, Seven exited the room. Before closing the door completely, he spied one of the screens showing what a CCTV was seeing. Rika and V had arrived with armfuls of photographs to be auctioned away. Seven hurriedly closed the door, making sure the keypad relocked the door.

“Luciel, you’re here already?” V greeted.

“Yeah, I just had a look around.” Seven replied. “Need any help?”

“Actually, Yoosung came with us, he went inside to check the set up before us. Go meet him in person. I think you two will make good friends.” Rika convinced, walking away with V before Seven could retort.

Yoosung, huh? He wondered if the boy attached a three-leaf clover to his outfit today. Seven had pranked him into thinking that it was the three-leaf clover that was lucky and the common ones had only two leaves. The three leaf clover also only grew in patches that were rare and far in between. He might have also said he spotted a growing patch of clovers in a popular park and found a three-leaf clover himself. Well, that statement was true… however…

Walking around, Seven spotted the brunette tidying up a tablecloth that was pretty perfect already.

“Yoosung! Did you get that clo-“ He started to greet loudly, with his arm in the air, waving. When his gold eyes met the purple of Yoosung’s, the world froze for just a split second.

As time restarted, the burning, pleasurable pain did as well. Seven bit his tongue, holding in any noise threatening to tear from his throat. Lowering his arm, he clutched at his right forearm. This…again…

Yoosung gasped and whimpered almost all at once. His hand flew over his shoulder to press against his scapula. The crest that was no more than an inch big felt like hot coal but left behind a soothing, calm feeling. With wide eyes, he met those of the person in front of him.

“Seven…?” Yoosung whispered.

Seven cleared his throat softly before plastering a big smile on his face. “Yoosung! Good to see you! Did you get that clover? We can’t have any bad luck today.”

Yoosung was at a lost for words, “You… You’re…”

“Hm?” Seven hummed questioningly. “I’m…? Much more stunning in person? A genius?”

“S-Soul… mate?”

“Ah~” Seven sang cheerfully. “You haven’t met Jumin in person yet, have you? I don’t know whether to congratulate you on a handsome and wealthy catch or to wish you good luck – hahaha!”

“Jumin?” Yoosung repeated slowly. “What does he…? Wait, wait, wait! You’re just going to ignore this?”

Seven only hummed questioningly again in response, an overly innocent grin never leaving his lips.

“You’re my soul mate!” Yoosung exclaimed, waving his arms frantically as though it would get the point across sooner. “Th-the person my soul made a promise to! The one that will support me and who I can rely on, and vice-versa! The person who will stick by my side through thick and thin no matter what!”

“Ehh~ what a romantic view.” Seven said lightly. “You mi~ght have a tough time with Jumin.”

“You’re the red one, aren’t you?! I don’t need to even look at the crest, I can just feel it – that’s the kind of bond this is. I… I need you! Don’t I? Don’t you? Why…?”

Seven relaxed his expression, shooting the younger male a sympathetic smile.

“You shouldn’t get close to me. I’m not good for you. For any of them.”

“I don’t… get it.” Yoosung whispered, lowing his head.

“You don’t need to get it, just…look after them for me, yeah?”

“… I don’t get it.” Yoosung repeated. He looked up with fire in his eyes. “I don’t get it, but I’m not leaving you.”

“Not leaving me? How assertive you are, Yoosung. At least buy me dinner first.” Seven joked.

He ignored what Seven said, opting to look directly at the gold eyes that now seemed clouded in desolation. “I’ll stick with you. I’m going to save you from drowning in that ocean we see every night. You can trust me!”

“Just forget about me-“

“Never!” Yoosung nearly yelled. “Even if we didn’t know or do it consciously, we made a promise to each other. If you need help, all you need to do is reach out your hand. The six of us are right beside you! No matter what mistakes you’ve made, we’d never abandoned you. What’s the point of these marks if they really don’t mean anything?! I feel it! I feel it, and I hate it! I hate that you and the others are suffering. And you’re the first one I’ve met…”

Seven could see tears build up in those purple eyes. He swallowed thickly. “Yoosung…”

“You’re the first one I’ve met, and I don’t want to let you go just like that!” After blurting out that statement, Yoosung’s face turned bright red. “I-I… um… Y-You can rely on us. On _me_. That’s what we promised, wasn’t it? And… well, we’re friends, now, at least, aren’t we? I want to help you, as a friend.”

Yoosung could see Seven warring with his own thoughts.

“I’m sorry I was the first one you met.” Seven said while looking around to make sure no one was there. “But I’m not interested.”

Yoosung clenched his jaw. “That won’t stop me from caring about you. Even if you never acknowledge me, I’ll still help you whenever I can.”

“Don’t kid yourself. Everything in the chat room was just a ruse. I told you, forget about me.”

“I… don’t believe that.” Yoosung whispered. “You’re still my friend.”

“You don’t know me…”

“I don’t need to know you, I know your soul. I’ve known your soul since the moment I was born. You’ve been hurt… and I feel compelled to be beside you. I _want_ to be.”

“Do whatever you want then.” Seven said, looking away from the tearful eyes of the younger boy. Guilt. “Don’t go blaming me if you get hurt, I warned you.”

“I won’t. Even if I do get hurt, I don’t think I’d regret it if it helped you.” Yoosung admitted.

His parents always told him to cherish his soul mates. They were a bit skeptical at first. Was it really possible to have seven souls promised to each other? The evidence was scrawled across Yoosung’s shoulder blades, so they’d have to believe it. But no matter if he had one soul or six souls to love, they taught him early on that these were the people who he could confidently call family. There was nothing to be afraid of with them by your side.

It would be difficult, his parents warned. Six people, six different personalities, backgrounds, experiences. There will be many disagreements, but the important thing to remember was that there was a part in each one of them that the others needed. Even through the tears, there was an eternal love that only needed to be remembered. It would take time, and patience, but when that feeling blossomed once more, the bond would be undeniable. A bond that could never, will never, be broken.

A promise.

Seven had his own reasons, Yoosung knew. Maybe one day, they’d be close enough that Seven could trust in him. In them. Until then, even if he were nothing more than a silent supporter, Yoosung would stay beside him. His parents had cautioned him beforehand, but at the same time, taught him of the unbelievable gift that soul mates brought with them.

He had no experience in romance, but he’d make sure to be their friend, first and foremost. Upon meeting Jumin, Yoosung’s determination of becoming his soul mates’ lifelong friend grew stronger. Although just as detached and dispassionate as Seven, Jumin was much less hostile, to Yoosung’s relief. Jumin paid little mind to the promise their souls made long ago.

Yoosung remembered the dark blue soul that slipped in and out of the ocean’s grasp. In and out of emotional turmoil. Jumin may seem cool and collected, but he needed something more. As his soul mate, Yoosung was going to figure it out.

The more everyone talked on the messenger, the quirkier his two soul mates seem to be. After receiving a cat from Rika and V, Jumin became… obsessed? Well, he showed a kinder, warmer side when talking about the cat, so who was Yoosung to complain. Seven acted completely normal. Completely normal for the act he put on, anyways.

Yoosung couldn’t make head or tails of his two soul mates. Maybe one of the others could help. He met two at once, what were the odds that fate had another meeting planned in the near future?

With the first official RFA party over, everyone was as busy as ever. Rika was excitedly planning for the next party while enjoying her life at the same time. After following a certain musical actor for who knows how long now, she finally convinced him to join the RFA. The organization could use another pair of hands, though Yoosung suspected that Rika more so wanted to help the budding actor promote himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Good student Yoosung is difficult to write~


	4. The Ones They Didn’t Know They Needed, Part Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fate was cruel. Fate was kind.
> 
> Thank you for everything. If it happens then it happens.
> 
> I need you. I'll love you forever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Personal Note: I'm replaying Zen's route right now to get his normal ending and I'm still finding some of the "good" options so cringe worthy.  
> "I'm going to go think about Zen now." MC, you could at least say goodbye! (*≧▽≦)ﾉｼ))

It was a rocky start for the musical actor named Zen in the RFA. If Seven’s eccentric attitude didn’t make Zen’s head spin, his dislike for the wealthy – and cats – sure put stress on his shoulders. Yoosung tried his best to quell all the arguments and confused mutterings in the chat room. Was being a peacekeeper supposed to be his role?

The chat room notifications were overheating his phone on a particularly bad day. Zen was hysterical for some reason, blowing up the chat room with curses towards Jumin, and how there was no way they would ever get along. He only heard through passing, but Rika went to Jumin and asked him to help the actor. How wrong that meeting had gone apparently.

Zen asked Yoosung to meet him somewhere so he could check something with the younger boy. Rika, said that he should use this invitation to help Zen acclimate into the organization a bit more, or at least to just make another supporting friend.

With nothing to lose, Yoosung went to meet Zen at his half basement home. Still unable to fully wrap his mind around everything that just happened, Yoosung stared questioningly as the actor opened the door. Zen really did have red eyes…

The burning sensation was back again, and quickly followed by soothing warmth. Scrunching up the back of his shirt with his fingers in pain, Yoosung looked up to see Zen biting his lip and clutching his left side by his hip.

“Oh.” Yoosung muttered under his breath. This is what Zen meant by checking.

“Trust fund kid wasn’t lying, then.” The actor huffed, out of breath from the scorching pain. “Um… come in. Sorry for making you come all the way here just for my curiosity.”

Yoosung shook his head, “Don’t worry about that. I’m happy to meet another one of us.”

Zen closed the door behind the younger boy. “Another one of us, huh? So Seven…”

“Yeah.” Yoosung tittered out. “He’s going to try to convince you to forget about him, but I find it’s better to ignore at least those words. He tries to hide that he’s happy when we hang out most of the time, too. Something about being dangerous for us, he hasn’t told me yet, but I’m not giving up.” Yoosung suddenly stopped, looking at him in a panic. “Y-you don’t think soul mates mean nothing, too, do you? I m-mean it’s fine if you do… I’ll stick with you no matter what, but…”

“Well, I wouldn’t say I thought they meant nothing.” Zen admitted, sitting on the couch and gesturing to Yoosung to take a seat as well. He tilted his head back, staring at the ceiling like it held all the answers. “It was… nice having you guys there with me this whole time. When things were tough, I could at least look forward to my dreams. But trust fund kid?! Seriously…”

“You know… I don’t get why you don’t like Jumin so much. He’s cold hearted, for sure, but he really cares about us in his own way. Did he do something to you?”

“Just bad experiences with wealthy pricks.” Zen muttered.

He was thankful that Yoosung let the topic go. Maybe he’d tell the boy later. They just met; he shouldn’t trouble Yoosung with his past. He hated that the trust fund kid gave him offers without even knowing who he really was or watched him act. He didn’t want freebies.

Having had the younger male come all the way to his home, Zen offered to get dinner ready. The two of them chatted normally, slowly becoming more comfortable in each other’s presence. Zen didn’t understand what situation Yoosung had with Seven, but it seemed like the brunette was glad to have found a soul mate that wasn’t entirely against the prospect of soul mates.

His parents were soul mate partners. His brother once showed him the pretty mark he had, as well. They always said that soul mates were special people, but to decide on his own how he wanted to interact with them. When he was young, Zen asked his brother why he had six while his brother had only one. Was there something wrong with him?

 _“Maybe because you’re so pretty, Hyun?”_ His brother had answered. Their parents quickly countered by saying it’s because he isn’t doing well in school and he needed all those people to support him. One day, his brother started to agree with their parents, too.

When he left home, Zen decided that he’d determine his own fate. These six people lining the left side of his torso were the only ones he’d need. He’d make it as an actor, become someone that those six souls could be proud of; be delighted to show off. He was more than just his attractive appearance. He didn’t need help. He would make it in the industry with his talent. These six people… were all he needed. He only hoped that they needed him, as well.

Zen devoted his entire being to those six souls. He’d cherish them like family. Like the family he didn’t have. But damn, did one of them have to be Jumin Han? It was bad enough the trust fund kid only ever talked about his cat but he was also a cold-hearted jerk. But still… Maybe Yoosung was right. Jumin hadn’t done anything in particular to him, yet Zen hated his handouts more than necessary. More than he would normally. Jumin didn’t care about soul mates, anyways, so why should Zen care if they didn’t get along? Zen couldn’t sleep that night. The trust fund kid was still his soul mate.

The next time they met, Zen grudgingly admitted to being too harsh but he wasn’t going to take any of the offers Jumin proposed. Jumin shrugged off the apology, like he didn’t need it in the first place nor did he care if the actor took any of the opportunities. Zen felt his blood boiling. Did this guy really not have human emotions?

He yelled and yelled, getting closer and closer to the corporate heir. By the time he was out of breath, their noses were nearly touching. Time seemed to pause. Zen blushed furiously, jumping away like he had touched hot coal.

Jumin raised an eyebrow questioningly. This was interesting. Was this the work of the soul mate bond? His heartbeat was quicker than normal. Perhaps he should check in with a doctor before getting back to work. Zen was spluttering nonsense again. Jumin held in a sigh. He only offered to sponsor the actor because Rika asked him to. He didn’t plan to find another soul mate or to have his soul mate argue with everything he said. If Zen ever asked for his help, he’d have no qualms lending the actor a bit of publicity, but honestly, Zen’s overly emotional quarrels were time consuming.

“Don’t be so embarrassed. You were the one to initiate that liaison.” Jumin interrupted the actor.

He didn’t have to wait long until Zen stormed out of his office with a red face. Embarrassment? Anger? Jumin couldn’t be sure. Why couldn’t this soul mate be calmer? Perchance like the hard working Yoosung, who was cheerful but not overbearing. Although, Yoosung, too, was a very sensitive boy. Jumin let out a sigh this time. His soul mates were an emotional handful.

Stepping to his desk again, he looked through the pile of job applications. He needed a new chief assistant. Jumin felt the unpleasant feeling of annoyance build up. His father preached that soul mates were precious, but he went and got a new _friend_ in his last assistant. No matter, all Jumin needed to do was hire a new one.

V came into the office for a surprise visit. The photographer knew everything about Jumin, so the annoyance was clearly seen. With amusement, V helped look through the applications. Jumin trusted his childhood friend, so he went with the applicant V chose.

Meeting Jaehee Kang was somewhat like meeting Luciel. The both of them acknowledged the bond however did not put much thought into the fact and continued professionally. Jumin reminded her that she shouldn’t expect special treatment, as he did not care if she were his soul mate or not.

Jaehee agreed to the terms all too easily. It was a surprise, for sure. One of her soul mates was Jumin Han? _Her? Him?_ Meeting in a professional environment certainly wasn’t how she ever imagined she’d meet her soul mates, but at the same time, she was eternally grateful to Director Han. She needed this job, if not for the good pay then for its reputation. Fresh out of college and independent, Jaehee had little time to worry about anything but herself. Any free time she had, she devotedly followed a certain actor and rewatched all of his past performances.

Soul mates could wait. Love was an illusion created by emotions, anyways. No need to destroy a career over it. Working beside Jumin Han was as hectic as she had imagined. It was almost as though she were back in college but with a different kind of workload. Maybe worse? Perhaps it was the soul mate bond they shared, but Jumin entrusted her with many things a chief assistant ought not to be responsible for. As time passed, her tasks became more personal. Elizabeth the 3rd came into the picture. Sure she was compensated monetarily, but… C-hair…

One day, she for certain thought she had done something wrong and was about to get scolded. Jumin called her into his office, a thoughtful look on his face as his dark grey eyes bored into her brown ones.

“Have you met any of the others?” Jumin asked.

“Others?” Jaehee repeated in confusion, her nervous energy slowly flowing away. “Our soul mates?”

“Yes, have you met them?”

“No, Mr. Han. You are the first I have met.” Jaehee said slowly.

“Would you like to?”

Like to? He knew the others already? Why was he only telling her now? Not that it mattered, she had no time to play girlfriend with the others, either. But it was still nice to put a face to the souls in her dreams. At least, in thought. The dreamscape would forever remain faceless with only the outline of what was supposed to be a human body.

“…Yes, I think I would like to meet them.”

“Do you know of the RFA?”

“The charity organization you are a part of, sir?”

“Why don’t you join? We are always together, anyways. It would be beneficial to the both of us workwise.”

At first, Jaehee had no idea how joining a charity organization had anything to do with meeting their shared soul mates. When she was formally introduced into the RFA, she was still at a loss. She hadn’t had the time to meet any of them in person, other than Rika and V. They were not her soul mates, but were treasured friends of her boss, so she would try her best to befriend them as well. Out of the others, who were their soul mates? All of them? None of them? Perhaps Jumin meant that he’d introduce them to her at the party because they were attending guests.

Mr. Han didn’t elaborate after that day, and continued to work as usual. With the addition of preparing for a new RFA party, Jaehee forgot what sleep felt like. The only truly good thing about joining the organization was meeting Zen, if only online through the chat room. To meet her most adored actor. She was sure she had used up all of her good fortune.

The day for the second Rika’s Fundraising Association’s charity party finally came. Jaehee was anxious. She was a nervous wreck. She became even more high-strung when she met the other members face to face. These were her soul mates. All of them.

Seven couldn’t help but tease her about how she sounded like a robot. He completely ignored the bond. Yoosung at least tried to settle the red head down, feeling bad for the chief assistant. The youngest boy was already treating her familiarly. And Zen... Jaehee could feel her face light aflame at just the thought. Now she was definitely sure she had used up all of her good fortune. Zen waved off the other two males, saying to ignore them. He gave her a dazzling smile and told her to relax, and if she couldn’t, she could rely on him a little. He also expressed his concern about working for Jumin, and how he’d give the trust fund kid hell later for overworking her.

 

As the days flew by, the five of them grew ever closer. They talked and played in the messenger, slowly revealing a little of themselves each time. With their spare time, it was often used to enjoy themselves in the presence of the others, even if as nothing more than friends.

In his own way, Jumin took care of them. He said he didn’t care. He said the bond meant nothing. However, even if he treated Jaehee as though he didn’t worry about her wellbeing as her employer, or quarreled with Zen consistently, or only saw Yoosung as a potential intern, or undoubtedly agreed to Seven’s isolation from the infernal bond they had no control over, he still took time out of his busy day to talk to them. Jumin also unfailingly gave up his wealth and influence if the others needed assistance.

Seven was the anomaly. During his initial meetings with everyone, he warned everyone to stay away. He warned them, and yet displayed his overly excited companionship. He teased and actively went out with Yoosung, and helped Zen grow in popularity through a YouTube video that acted as a computer virus; and, although his teasing was of a different nature with Jumin and Jaehee, they unknowingly grew closer, understanding each other.

Yoosung whole-heartedly believe in the soul mate bond. No matter how the others saw the oath, he tried to become chummy to everyone present. As the youngest, he saw everyone else as role models. Even if Seven was only a year older, he was a genius. Yoosung was determined to one day get everyone on the same page.

On the other hand, Zen would happily say that he’d give up his soul bond with the trust fund kid. He said that, but everyone knew how often Zen talked about Jumin, if only to complain, and brought the corporate heir up in casual conversation. To complain some more. Other than Jumin, Zen found his bond with the others to be romantic. Souls promising each other eternity, how much more romantic can it get? He promised to be by their sides and to call on him whenever they wanted. Anyone but Jumin.

Jaehee had a more neutral stance on the soul mate bond. If it happened, then it happened, in her opinion. If it didn’t, then no harm no foul. Now that she had found the others, she had no doubts in her mind that she’d go to their side if they were in trouble. Having grown up in a household where she was mostly left alone, she didn’t want the others to feel like she had. Even if it hurt sometimes, she’d give all of her soul mates blunt advice so they can fulfill their dreams. And although taking care of a cat was not in the job description, Jaehee felt the mutual confidence Jumin had in her. She needed to be ready at all times for when her soul mates sought help and guidance.

The five of them grew closer, and talked almost daily. Soon, it was apparent that all of them would miss the others terribly if any one of them were to suddenly leave. Unsuspectingly, they started to lean on each other, depend on each other. Cold gloomy days of isolation lit up with warmth each time they greeted each other.

These souls that made a promise to each other long ago, the ones that some of them were so readily willing to throw aside…

They were the ones they didn’t know they needed.


	5. Time To Start Doing My Job

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day One
> 
> "…Maybe this was going to be harder than I thought…"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Music Shows: Television programs that allow various artists to perform and promote their music.
> 
> Korean Variety Shows: Kind of like game shows; small competitions with the guests and the hosts. Helps promote media like movies and albums. Really fun to watch if you haven’t.

Did these people never sleep?

The RFA app alerted my phone to another person entering the chat room around 2AM, and then another person at 4AM. By the time I actually needed to wake up, I already found that someone was awake and in the chat room. It was Yoosung, again. This time he was complaining about Zen complaining about not being in a romantic relationship. Then he also complained about the same thing…

I felt like sighing. If these guys didn’t believe in soul mates or had soul mates that they weren’t attracted to romantically, then that was their decision. However, was this really a topic for seven in the morning? The conversation was short. The college student had to run to catch a bus to make his morning classes. He had effectively distracted me. I was running late now, too.

I hurriedly got ready. Although my makeup, hair, and outfit for the talk show would be sorted out at the agency, I needed to at least look fresh and ready to go. Seo-Yeon took it upon herself to make breakfast for us today. As we ate, we reviewed what we needed to say about our upcoming album and how to avoid odd questions that the reporters would no doubt try to persuade us into answering. Ye-Jun, our manager, picked us up with a company car at the exact time he said he would.

In the car, more RFA members entered the chat room. That reminded me that I needed to tell Ye-Jun about joining the organization…

As expected, Mr. Manager was livid. He said I shouldn’t join any organization willy-nilly, no matter how respectable they seemed. Nor do so in the middle of the night. I apologized profusely and eventually he gave in, seeing as there was little he could do. The information would stay secret from the public for now and he warned us to not speak about it in the interview today.

Seo-Yeon stayed conveniently silent, holding in her amusement. Great friend I have here.

As we were getting prepared to go on set, I caught Zen and Jumin in the chat room. Did these people not have jobs or responsibilities? They’re on all day and night, it seemed. These two were either born rivals or such good friends that they showed each other affection through arguments. They didn’t seem to agree on anything.

Loneliness, emotions, cats, how to treat employees, the mental stability of C&R employees…

I think they’re good friends at heart, else the RFA probably would be in shambles by now. I bid them a hurried good bye and good luck on their day as a stylist finished my hair. Thanking the workers, Seo-Yeon and I prepared to step onto the set. It was a pre-recorded type of talk show that was set to air a few days after tonight’s album release.

We didn’t wrap up the filming until the afternoon. Seo-Yeon and I had a light lunch at our label’s cafeteria when we got back. It was a very nice cafeteria, to say the least, the company pulling all the stops for the health of their idols, actors, models, and the employees that made it all happen. There were various rooms that housed dining tables connected to the cafeteria, providing a more private restaurant feel.

I felt the urge to check in with the RFA again. I realized that I was quickly becoming attached to them, for some reason. I only met them last night, after all. Maybe it was because they were so open with me. I admired how they can chat so casually together, even with a new addition. Well, except Jaehee.

Not that I could blame her, of course. My circumstances in joining the organization were… unique. I asked her to explain to me what I had to do for the RFA exactly. Seo-Yeon was still giving me that “you don’t know what you’re doing, do you” look. Honestly, Seo-Yeon was right. I was just grinning and bearing it. Was I supposed to look for guests? That would be difficult considering I had to keep hush about joining the organization for now.

However, I intend to give it my best shot, no matter what!

…How was I supposed to _convince_ people to attend?

…Maybe this was going to be harder than I thought…

Our lunch break came to a close sooner than we’d like. Seo-Yeon and I changed into a casual gym outfit and headed towards the dance practice studio. There, we met up with the backup dancers we have been working with throughout the whole album process and will continue working with during our promotional period.

I, again, found myself checking my phone during short water breaks. This is the fastest I have ever gotten attached to anyone, let alone to people I’ve only met through a messaging app. I wonder why. Sure, they seemed like decent people, but I didn’t truly know them. I just wanted to talk to them some more.

After dance practice with the backup dancers, Ye-Jun called us to his office. We went over our schedule for the next week or so. A few music shows, a magazine interview and photo shoot, and a couple variety shows. Not too terrible, although exhausting for sure. As promised, Ye-Jun would treat us to dinner tonight once we finished singing our lungs out.

Seo-Yeon and I then went back to the dance studio. Standing in front of the wall-to-wall mirrors by ourselves, we got into position. This time we practiced while singing, controlling our breathing and energy exertion. At this point, we had practiced every song on our album dozens of times. The showcase for the entire album had already passed a couple days before the music video was released online. However, it never hurt to be well prepared.

If the album did well, there was a possibility of concerts to be scheduled. As idols, we had to put in everything we were into our performances. We practiced our title track the most, as expected. For the music shows, the two of us would rotate between a fast paced, dance song and a slow, sensual song that highlighted our vocals in addition to our title track.

During all of rehearsal, the RFA chat room was busy again. On the floor by the stereo, I kept seeing my cell phone’s notification light blink on and off.

“You’re replacing me. My heart.” Seo-Yeon whined pitifully as she watched me chat with the RFA members again.

“I wouldn’t replace you for the world, Seo.” I replied, jokingly shoving her with my shoulder.

“Well? What do you guys talk about?”

“Confidential. Or so I’m told.” I said with a shrug. Seven had said that everything said in the chat room remained in the chat room. It was in the contract that they didn’t need my signature for…

“Eh~.” She sang, not amused.

“I’ll invite you to the party. I’ll even ask the leader if we can promote there.”

“Do you talk to Ye-Jun about anything?” Seo-Yeon asked incredulously.

“Coming from the girl who agreed for us to be extras in a drama without saying a word until the day before filming.” I countered.

“It was pretty last minute for me, too. Besides, the director of my last drama was the one who asked. I would like to think we’re friends.”

“Well, until I ask RFA’s leader, I’ll wait to ask Ye-Jun.” I said softly.

What _would_ V say? I wonder if Seven told him what I did for a living. Probably, V was the leader, after all. He should know who his members were. The others, besides Yoosung, seem to put a lot of trust in him, as well. And from the few short words he exchanged with them last night, he didn’t seem overly strict. I’d say there was a good chance he’d let us promote ourselves at the party, whenever that was.

Speaking of… how was I supposed to invite guests to a party that didn’t even have a set date? Not that I contacted any potential guests yet… But I just spent most of my day reassuring the other members that I’d try my absolute best to make the party a success. What would happen if the party date were never established?

I guess that would mean my presence in the organization was useless…

Why couldn’t one of the others do this job?

I would never ask them that, though. It was impolite, especially for the new member who probably wasn’t even considered their friend yet.

With our practice over for today, Seo-Yeon and I got cleaned up and redressed in casual outfits. Ye-Jun, having promised us dinner, called us back to his office. It wasn’t a fancy dinner, but it was what we expected. He ordered us take out and had it delivered. Ye-Jun said it was “healthier” so we could stay fit and healthy during our promotional period. Seo-Yeon and I didn’t complain, especially after last nights’ feast. And free food was free food.

When it was almost midnight, I had my hand on top of Seo-Yeon’s who had hers on a computer mouse. We were allowed to click the button to send our album live and available for digital download. The production staff cheered together at another release from the company. Hopefully it will do well!

On our social media sites, Seo-Yeon and I eagerly posted a picture of the album with captions of it being released.

Ye-Jun suggested we get home as it was late and we had an energy-consuming day tomorrow. Unlike yesterday, he drove us home in the company car. He had a family matter the day before and had gone home long before us anyways. We bid him a safe journey home as he dropped us off. Ye-Jun has been our manager since the beginning; it was easy to say that the three of us were good friends, even if we never saw him outside of work.

“Music show tomorrow.” Seo-Yeon said, stretching her tired muscles.

I hummed an agreeing sound. We should get some rest.

It was half passed midnight when someone joined the chat room again. Yoosung and Seven were excited to hold another party and asked the same questions I did. When would it be? Other than that, the conversation got a little odd. Talking about twisted love and the game LOLOL. Yoosung kept saying he couldn’t concentrate on the game tonight but then promptly left to play once a rare boss monster appeared.

Jaehee entered the chat room just a couple minutes after the other two left. Apparently, Jumin left his cat, Elizabeth the 3rd, with her. This time of night was somewhat in my regular hours of work, especially if we were traveling, but were they really for Jaehee, who was an assistant?

The inner workings of the RFA were a piece of work.

With my schedule as it is, I needed all the sleep I could manage. Even though the other RFA members had jobs and school to do as well, they never seemed to rest. I woke up to Yoosung’s failed attempt at omurice. Grinning in amusement, I had to bite my lip to keep from making too much noise and waking Seo-Yeon. Inspired by Yoosung, I started making omurice as well.

We had to get to the music show by early afternoon to prep and participate in the small interviews. Plus, it was always nice to get there a bit early to talk to our friends who were also artists. Besides, this being the first promotional show we’re participating in, it was crucial to perform well.

As I sat down to eat my meal, I checked in with the RFA again. Earlier in the morning, Jumin had suggested a guest and would have them contact me through my new RFA email address.

It was time to start doing my job.

Tonight, I will have to go to Rika’s apartment. The email and the email feature on the RFA app only worked inside the apartment, thanks to Seven’s secure handiwork. With the location being classified information, I’ll have to go back to the food market and hope I don’t get recognized as I walked there.


	6. A Secret Just Between The Two Of Us

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day Two
> 
> “The reason for how quickly you’re relying on them, maybe one of them is your soul mate.”

“It’s hot.” Seo-Yeon whined, stepping into their dressing room and unceremoniously dropping down into a cushioned seat.

“It’s not that bad.” I replied, grabbing my water bottle and gently tossing Seo-Yeon hers.

We just finished performing on stage for the music show and, as always, the stage lights were dazzlingly warm. I began grabbing the cute, camera-ready casual outfit I prepared and went into the changing room. By the time all the artists were finished and the hosts closed out the show to the live audience and ended the recording session, it was early evening.

I checked in with the RFA periodically during the times when we weren’t on stage or being interviewed. The others suggested a handful of guests that I’ll have to talk to when I go to Rika’s apartment later today. Even though the conversations were brief, I learned a lot about the others. V even stopped by for a brief few minutes. The leader was actually a very sweet person, worrying about me and making sure I was adjusting well to the group even though he seemed so busy. It hurts me knowing that he lost his soul mate.

I realized with a pause that I was really starting to get attached to these people who I haven’t even met in face to face yet.

I kept my hair and makeup as it was. It wasn’t overly done, which I was thankful for. Thanking all of the music show’s staff and saying our farewells to our friends who also performed today, we left the facility with our manager and our label’s set of crew. The group of us headed to our label company’s building. There, Ye-Jun reminded us of our schedule for the next day and told us we had the rest of the night free.

“You made breakfast, so I’ll make dinner.” Seo-Yeon suggested when we entered our apartment. “What do you want?”

I hummed in thought before suggesting something with rice. I lay back on the couch and absently checked in with the RFA again. 

 

 **707:** MC MC MC

 **MC:** Seven Seven Seven

 **MC:** What’s up meow?

 **Yoosung:** (^～^;)ゞ

 **707:** I

 **707:** Just

 **707:** Got

 **707:** Something

 **Yoosung:** Can’t you say it in one line?

 **707:** Amazing!!!

 **Yoosung:** Honey Buddha Chips?!

 **MC:** I thought he already had those?

 **707:** <photo of two YeonYeon albums>

 **707:** <photo of photo-book from YeonYeon album>

 **707:** <photo of Mi-Yeon photo-card>

 **707:** <photo of Seo-Yeon photo-card>

 **Yoosung:** (^～^;)ゞ

 **Yoosung:** When did you become a YeonYeon fan?

 **Yoosung:** And didn’t that just release? I’m surprised you like them enough to go out and buy a physical copy…

 **707:** **（＊〇□〇）……！**

 **707:** Yoosung

 **707:** You’re not a MiSeo Foodie?!

 **Yoosung:** And you are?

 **Yoosung:** ｢(ﾟﾍﾟ)

 **Yoosung:** Since when?

 **MC:** ^^;;

 **707:** **（＊〇□〇）……！**

 **Yoosung:** I mean… they’re not terrible.

 **707:** **（＊〇□〇）……！**

 **707:** **（＊〇□〇）……！**

 **707:** **（＊〇□〇）……！**

 **Yoosung:** Don’t flood the chat!

 **Yoosung:** I’m just saying

 **Yoosung:** I haven’t heard too many of their songs

 **Yoosung:** But I have nothing against them!

 **707:** **（＊〇□〇）……！**

 **Yoosung:** Stop that!

 **MC:** Lol

 **MC:** Don’t give him such a hard time, Seven. People like different things.

 **MC:** (*⌒∇⌒*)

 **Yoosung:** Yeah!!!

 **Yoosung:** Listen to MC!

 **Yoosung:** By the way…

 **Yoosung:** Why do you have two copies?

 **MC:** Were you trying to collect the photo-cards?

 **MC:** There are only four total in this set.

 **707:** I’m about to get rich

 **707:** Ｏ(≧∇≦)Ｏ

 **Yoosung:**???

 **707:** I’m going to ask Mi-Yeon to sign them and then sell one!

 **Yoosung:** (〇o〇；)

 **Yoosung:** You know Mi-Yeon!?!?! As in friends?!

 **Yoosung:** How come I didn’t know this?!?!?!

 

Before I could reply, Seven sent a text message to me, away from the chat room.

 

 _From 707: This is a secret just between the two of us (_ _－ｏ⌒)_

_To 707: Is that such a good idea?_

_From 707: Perfectly good idea!_

I sighed in amusement. I guess I could help him mess with Yoosung a bit. I wonder how far this will go, though?

…Does he plan to keep it a secret until the party? 

**707:** I, Seven-Zero-Seven,

 **707:** Am amazing friends with Ms. Mi-Yeon Cho!

 **MC:** Is that so~?

 **Yoosung:** (〇o〇；)

 **707:** As the Defender of Justice

 **707:** It is one of my top priorities

 **707:** To protect Mi-Yeon from any danger!!!!!!!!

 **MC:** I’m sure she thanks you for all of your hard work,

 **MC:** And for supporting the album. She’ll definitely sign it for you.

 **MC:** (*⌒∇⌒*)

 **707:** (＝⌒▽⌒＝)

 **Yoosung:** Waaaiiiiitt

 **Yoosung:** Since when?!?!

“You’re grinning from ear to ear.”

Looking up from my phone, Seo-Yeon looked at me in amusement and held out dinner.

“Thank you.” I said, sitting up and setting my phone on my lap.

“Are they really that entertaining?” She asked, sitting next to me.

“One of them just bought our album and asked if we could sign it.” I giggled as I typed with one hand to say goodbye to Yoosung and Seven. As I took a bite of dinner, I spied Seo-Yeon looking at me intently. “What…?”

“Nothing.” She said with a shrug. “It’s just not like you.”

“What isn’t?”

"You’re not usually so clingy with your friends.” Seo-Yeon smirked. I felt my face heat up a bit.

“Cl-Clingy?”

“You’re always so ‘oh, it’s all right. I can do this myself’ or ‘you don’t have to worry about me, go ahead’” Seo-Yeon continued, waving her hand as she imitated me. “Now it’s ‘please talk to me, please talk to me!’”

“Am not!” I whined, pushing her shoulder in complaint.

“The daughter of pianists who does everything herself so she doesn’t feel like she’s bothering anyone, suddenly relying on online friends to meet her needs.” She over acted. “My heart. You’re replacing me! A human being right in front of you!”

“If I can do it myself, I don’t want to hassle anyone.” I argued weakly.

Seo-Yeon let out a laugh, carefully holding her dinner plate in one hand and using the other to side-hug me. “I keep telling you, you’re not bothering me.” She paused, giving me a sincere smile. “I’m glad you’re making more friends.”

“You always say things like that.” I replied, still blushing. I hurriedly put another bite of dinner in my mouth.

Seo-Yeon then turned on the television, putting on a drama we had started to watch. It was silent for the most part, the two of us focusing on our meals. I wondered if musicals were aired on television. I was never that interested before. The only ones I was familiar with were the ones my parents played pieces in. I might look into it one day. Jaehee did say she had DVDs, so they had to have been recorded. Next time when either Jaehee or Zen was online, I’ll ask them.

“Say…”

I turned to look at Seo-Yeon who kept her eyes to the television screen.

“Yeah?”

“Do you think… at least one of them…” She said slowly, carefully picking her words. “The reason for how quickly you’re relying on them, maybe one of them is your soul mate.”

Soul… mate…

That’s right. I didn’t even think of that. I always thought that fate plans for everyone to meet in person. I never thought technology could alter fate’s traditional plans. But who? I’m… not particularly attached to one over the other. I enjoy these chats we’re having, absolutely. However… Is it so weird to want to get close to people who have been kind to you without even knowing who you are?

Sure, I’m not so quick to rely on others. I make plenty of friends, I talk to plenty of people, but I never truly rely on them other than those very close to me and have stayed with me for some time. And sure, I feel like I desperately need to talk to these people even though I’ve only met them online just yesterday night…

“Maybe…” I admitted softly.

Seo-Yeon knew of the marks on my back. She knew how many of them there were. Compared to her one, she said my future looked like a fun party. While, more seriously, she was surprised I hadn’t found at least one of them yet. Being an idol might have delayed the meeting, she guessed.

Soul mate marks were generally kept secret from the public for celebrities. Until the soul mates found each other, only the person, and the higher ups in a company knew that kind of information. Other than the fact that celebrities were most popular when single, they were especially encouraged not to date anyone not their soul mate.

Whatever the case, maybe someone in the RFA really was my soul mate. There were six members, and there were six crests lining my spine. What were the chances?... No, wait; V only had one soul mate. That left the other five…

There was no way.

None of them have talked about their own soul mates, so I wasn’t sure if any of them have found theirs. It would be odd to suddenly bring the topic up, so I’ll just wait patiently until they feel comfortable to open up about it.

As we finished dinner, I asked Seo-Yeon if she wanted anything at the grocery store. I was going there to buy some snacks to keep me satisfied at Rika’s apartment, or RFA’s office as I was calling it. She dismissed the notion, saying that we’d go grocery shopping together later.

“You be careful, okay?” Seo-Yeon reminded, seeing me off at the door. “Call Ye-Jun for help if anything happens.”

“I’ll be back later tonight.” I replied, adjusting the backpack I had on that was filled with textbooks and my laptop. In addition to being an idol, I was also a student. Although I sent in most of my schoolwork online and could only physically attend only about half of my classes especially during promotional periods, the university understood as long as I kept my GPA fairly high and produced good results on tests. I went to a university of the arts. It wasn’t as prominent as Yoosung’s university, but it was still fairly prestigious for an arts school. However, I did myself no favors in double majoring in vocal music and instrumental music.

Only one more year after this one!

Seo-Yeon didn’t attend university, having opted to just focus on her career. I keep thinking I should have done the same… Sometimes I really cursed the side of me that said to keep busy.

…I…didn’t need that side anymore…

As I got out of the taxi, I carefully maneuvered around the crowd at the food market. I wasn’t sure if I had to keep the apartment a secret to taxi drivers as well, but to be on the safe side, I had them drop me off somewhere crowded, but close by. I kept my mouth mask on securely, not looking anyone in the eye, and keeping my grocery bags from hitting anyone. I walked down the street and towards the 14th floor of an apartment complex.

I made sure the keypad recognized the signal the RFA app usually sent out as I typed in the passcode. Stepping inside, I sighed in relief as I dropped everything onto the couch. Before anything, I put away the snacks and drinks I bought. Seven said I could use the space like it was my own apartment so I might as well make it comfortable enough as I worked.

When I walked back over to the couch, I paused at the entrance hallway and waved at the CCTV camera set up in the corner. Maybe Seven will see me, he did say he’d keep an eye on me. I set aside my backpack and lay on the couch, my back leaning against the armrest with my phone in my hands. First things first, I needed to reply to potential guests. I crossed my fingers, hoping I didn’t mess up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who is reading! :)
> 
> To those who comment, do you like that I answer them or would everyone prefer I just left the comments as is?
> 
> Let me know your thoughts~


	7. I'm Fine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day Three
> 
> "The reason we’re soul mates, huh?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's not that bad, but just in case: Trigger warning for drowning.  
> Please skip the first half of this chapter if you are uncomfortable.

I wonder…

Did they receive that package I sent them? I never received confirmation. Not a call, a text, nor an email.

Did they remember what day it was? Surely they’d know once they opened it. It’s not everyday YeonYeon released an album…

I slowly opened my eyes, feeling the chill in my body. The vast landscape ahead of me seemed never ending. I took a step forward towards the horizon, deeper into the cold, finding solace in the icy embrace the ocean provided.

Why… Why did I think…?

I should have kept myself busy.

I ran my hand against the surface of the water, feeling the smooth texture that ran over my fingers with every wave.

I wonder…

Will I ever be good enough?

These fingers… will they ever be trained well enough to be able to play alongside them one day?

If I had focused on the instrument rather than my voice, would I have been closer to them?

Were they disappointed that I didn’t?

I should have kept myself busy.

I shouldn’t have thought about how quiet it was inside Rika’s apartment. I shouldn’t have compared it to… back then.

I should have kept myself busy.

I…still needed that side of myself.

Before I could take another step, a felt a warmth wrap around my wrist. Looking over my shoulder, I saw the silver soul standing behind me.

They… didn’t want me to go further?

Silver has been able to walk around on land for a while now; nothing seemed to be bothering them too intensely in the recent months. They’ve already licked their wounds and let them heal.

They shouldn’t worry. I’ll be fine, I just needed a little time by… myself. I didn’t want to burden them. The silver and yellow souls were able to stand on their own the most out of all of us. Everyone who could be on land should stay there, they didn’t need to come in and get me. I’ll come out soon…

Soon, I saw the green soul come rushing into the water towards us. The green soul seemed happier in the passing days, able to release themselves from the water’s grasp. They were always bouncing back and forth, however. It was the same with the dark blue soul. Sometimes days were tough and they sunk in, while other days were good and they were released. Unlike the silver and yellow soul, the green and dark blue souls’ feet were almost always caught along the shore.

The dark blue soul and yellow soul turned to peer at the three of us. I could almost feel their questioning eyes even if I couldn’t see them.

Even the red soul, who was constantly half submerged, waded a little closer.

They didn’t need to worry about me.

Please, don’t come closer.

Please don’t be sad for me.

I’ll be fine.

Sure, it has been some time since the water has taken hold of any part of me. And maybe it had been even longer since I last fully fell into the ocean’s embrace like this. Nevertheless, the five of them didn’t need to…

We should worry more so about the red soul and especially the light blue soul who seemed to have stopped coming into the dreamscape somehow. Perhaps they were no longer able to travel here unconsciously. Maybe there was something terribly wrong. It was like their free will had been clouded over and corrupted. The others didn’t need to care about me.

I’ll be fine.

I’m used to dealing with this on my own.

The tiny step I took forward in my attempt to put some space between myself and my perfectly happy and healthy soul mates plunged me into the murky depths. It was like I stepped off of a cliff. Water rushed over my head, the sounds of the current crashing echoed against my eardrums in a deep rumble.

It… was dark. It was freezing.

…I…

I should have kept myself busy. Like I always have.

I couldn’t see my hand in front of me. The beautiful horizon was gone.

Please, don’t let me bring you down with me.

There’s… something wrong with me. There’s something so deep rooted in me that might never be cured. I can restart myself, like I’ve always done.

Please don’t let me drown you.

Please stay away.

I’m…

A familiar, unbearable feeling welled up in my chest and caught in my throat. I felt the liquid from my eyes mixing with the salty sea. Everything was pitch black, like the deepest depths of the ocean.

I’m…lonely.

There was warmth. Something soothing that I now realized never left. It was still securely wrapped around my wrist.

…I’m fine.

 

I woke up to my earsplitting alarm. As I propped myself up on my elbows and reached over to turn the accursed thing off, I realized that my cheeks were wet. I cautiously wiped away the tears. I… think I’m all right now. I gave myself a soft smile. The reason we’re soul mates, huh?

“I hope you’re awake, Mi-Yeon!” Seo-Yeon yelled from somewhere in the apartment. “Look alive! We have a variety show to go on!”

I fell back onto my pillow, groaning softly. That was something I did not have the energy for, I was sure.

The filming took up the entire day. I was only able to check in with the RFA members for a few short minutes at a time throughout the day. Jumin seemed a bit peeved at his father for inviting him to lunch to meet the new girlfriend. He did receive a pen with a diamond on it as a gift, however. I couldn’t even imagine getting such a gift, let alone using it without worrying. Zen, on the other hand, was elated that he got a new role and in addition to that he was getting offers to model. I admit, Zen is rather handsome; maybe I’ll tell him the next time he posts a selfie. It was always nice to give compliments, it made the receiver usually very happy and confident. Maybe Zen was such a narcissist because he’s been put down in the past, though I shouldn’t assume. He could just be exceedingly self-assured.

Although… All throughout the day, the others seemed a bit… subdued? I’m not sure how to pinpoint it. They all talked normally, joked occasionally, and argued sporadically, however it didn’t seem like the energy that was there the past two days was present.

It was already rather late. We ended up having a fun dinner with the cast and crew of the variety show, enjoying each other’s company after a long day of games and competitions.

As Ye-Jun dropped us off at our apartment building, he called back to me, “Hurry and get your things, Mi-Yeon.”

“Things?” I repeated and tilted my head in confusion.

“You’re going to RFA’s office to work again, aren’t you? I’ll drive you there.” He said, patting the roof of the company car.

“Oh! Then I’ll hurry!” I said quickly, running to the elevator. Seo-Yeon playfully rolled her eyes. Like running to the elevator was going to make it operate any faster.

“You’re making Ye-Jun worried with all of this late night travelling.” Seo-Yeon said, flicking at my forehead.

“Ouch…” I whimpered. “I don’t mean to. It’s the only time we have free. And I try to keep myself out of harms way as much as possible.”

She hummed disbelievingly.

In the end, she made me promise to text her every now and again before I left. Giving her a side hug goodbye, we parted ways at the front door. Ye-Jun was absently scrolling through his phone as he leaned against the car.

“Are you going to your classes tomorrow morning?” He asked when he saw me. “You said you were before.”

“Yeah, I need to take a make-up test that I missed.” I replied, getting into the car.

“When you’re finished, you two have a magazine interview and a photo shoot in the afternoon.” Ye-Jun reminded.

“I see. I’ll be prepared, no worries!”

He drove me to the outdoor food market, as was my usual routine now. I tried to decline the offer of him coming back out to pick me up in two hours, but he was not having it. In his words, as my manager, my safety needed to be secured. It would be better if I just told him the office’s address, but classified information was classified information. I promised him it wasn’t far and I’ll call him right away if anything happens.

As I entered Rika’s apartment once more, I waved to the CCTV. First, the emails needed to be responded to. The RFA members suggested a few more guests for me to convince in addition to the ones I was in the midst of talking to. I think I was starting to get the hang of this job. The guests could be just about anyone, and they all seemed to want either advice or answers to their test questions in their responses to the invitation. Although… how was I supposed to know what brand is best for a blanket for a puppy? I had to search online for a brand that the Cultured Citizens Organization would enjoy, but, personally, I would prefer something a little easier on my bank account.

If Seven hacked into my laptop’s internet search history now, he’d probably be rolling around laughing…

When I was finally done exploring the Internet for answers and replying to all of the invitees, I went into the chat room feature. A little break before studying never hurt. Yoosung seemed to be taking breaks constantly even though he attended a very prestigious university. He did also admit he was doing rather poorly, nonetheless…

 

 **707:** I’m a slave to my agency!

 **ZEN:** MC! Hello, cute lady. How are you?

 **MC:** Good evening, lovely Zen~

 **MC:** Are you just going to ignore Seven? ^^;

 **707:** Yeah! I’m having a hard time! They locked me in a room all day for security reasons T_T

 **MC:** Watch out for yourself, Seven.

 **707:** Someone’s worrying for me. So touching!

 **ZEN:** We always worry for you.

 **ZEN:** You just like to ignore it.

 **MC:**?

 **ZEN:** Don’t worry your pretty little head over it, cutie~

 **ZEN:** ☆⌒（＊＾∇゜）v

 **MC:** It’s not quite the same, but if it makes you feel better, I’m a slave to my company too.

 **MC:** (*⌒∇⌒*)

 **ZEN:** You should find a better job!

 **ZEN:** I’ll help you look!

 **707:** Don’t bother, her job is her hobby. She enjoys being overworked!

 **707:** （；￣д￣）

 **MC:** I can’t really argue that lol

 **MC:** Thanks for the offer, Zen!

 **ZEN:** Of course! I can’t just leave the princess in distress! But if you like your job, I’ll support you all the way. Just remember to take breaks!

 **707:** You’re a workaholic too.

 **MC:** I’ll take your advice if you do.

 **MC:** (*⌒∇⌒*)

 **ZEN:** Hahaha how can I say no to that? I was taking a break from reading my script anyways.

 **ZEN:** What are you up to so late in the evening?

 **MC:** Just about to start studying while I wait for any more emails I need to reply to. I thought I’d come hang out first~

 **ZEN:** Study? Are you a student?

 **707:** It’s like past Yoosung was reincarnated.

 **707:** I bet the imperfect attendance really bothers you~

 **707:** Ｏ(≧∇≦)Ｏ

 **MC:** There’s nothing I can do about that ^^;; my career is on the line.

 **ZEN:** You really must be everyone’s dream girl.

 **ZEN:** ☆⌒（＊＾∇゜）v

 **MC:** Blushing…

 **ZEN:** So cute.

 **ZEN:** ☆⌒（＊＾∇゜）v

 **ZEN:** Where do you work? Do you go to school with Yoosung?

 **MC:** Nothing nearly that prestigious ^^;;

 **707:** So modest lolol

 **707:** But let’s talk about how rich I’m about to get!!!!

 **ZEN:** The trust fund kid said your car was already more expensive than his

 **ZEN:** I say you’re already pretty loaded.

 **707:** But if Jumin can get Glam Choi’s autograph, that’ll make me richer~

 **707:** And Mi-Yeon said she’d sign the albums~

 **ZEN:** I’m with Yoosung on that one. When the hell did you meet Mi-Yeon?

 **707:** ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯

 **ZEN:** (;｀O´)o

 **707:** Do you like Mi-Yeon?

 **707:** Are you asking me so I could introduce you? You have been complaining lately~

 **ZEN:** It’s not like that. I just want to hurry and find them.

At this point, I had no idea what Zen was talking about. I wanted to know, but I was also reluctant to pry. Maybe his soul mate? He said them, implying more than one. Did he have multiple soul mates, too? I want to know… maybe when we’re closer, I’ll ask. I don’t want to be a pest. But there was something else that has been on my mind…

 

 **MC:** I did want to ask… Are you guys all right, today? You all seem a little down.

**707:** **（＊〇□〇）……！**

**ZEN:** …

 **ZEN:** Like I said, nothing for a cutie like you to worry about.

 **ZEN:** Someone we have a connection to wasn’t feeling well.

 **MC:** Oh, I’m sorry. I hope they get better soon for your sake

 **MC:** I shouldn’t have brought it up.

 **ZEN:** You were just worried! Don’t apologize.

 **ZEN:** (〃⌒∇⌒)

 **707:** …

 **707:** Does that mean you like Seo-Yeon better??

 **ZEN:** It’s not like that!

 **ZEN:** Hm… but I think Seo-Yeon is a bit more my type.

 **707:** Oooohh tell me more

 **ZEN:** A co-worker of mine went to a signing session for their last album

 **ZEN:** Said that Mi-Yeon in person was really different than what she expected

 **MC:** …?

 **707:** Yes, yes, say more.

 **ZEN:** She said Mi-Yeon had this really soft aura and a gentle, melodic voice, nothing like her stage persona.

 **ZEN:** They’re known as the fire and ice duo!

 **ZEN:** Seo-Yeon is mischievous, like a lioness playing with her prey, and a smile that invites you into her arena.

 **ZEN:** And Mi-Yeon is known for this icy sexiness, unapproachable, but captivating and luring you to your death through song.

 **MC:** Death???

 **707:** Mi-Yeon does have better technique and a higher vocal range.

 **707:** She’s in charge of most of the high notes!

 **MC:** Seo-Yeon has very powerful vocals though ^^

 **ZEN:** Mi-Yeon has a delicate touch with her voice,

 **ZEN:** They do make a good duet with that combination, I admit.

 **ZEN:** Anyways, my co-worker said Mi-Yeon seemed more introverted than extroverted but was still comfortable in a crowd, compared to her public image.

 **ZEN:** I think one of her nicknames is Snow Princess - soft and delicate, but an icy beauty that you aren’t allowed to touch.

 **ZEN:** It’s not bad, of course! I understand how the stage works.

 **ZEN:** But outgoing, go-getter types like Seo-Yeon are more to my tastes.

 **707:** You’re so cruel, Zen.

 **707:** （；￣д￣）

 **MC:** To each their own ^^;;

 **ZEN:** Wha-??

 **ZEN:** You asked!

 **707:** Poor Mi-Yeon…

 **ZEN:** YOU ASKED!!!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't believe this story actually has over 500 hits?!
> 
> Thank you everyone for reading and supporting this story :)


	8. Stupid Heart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day Four
> 
> "… My heartbeat was still too quick by the time my lecture started."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TOEIC: The Test Of English For International Communication

 

I woke up to the tone set for my text messages. With a tired groan, I reached across the bed to the end table. Who was spamming me at this hour? I turned my phone away from me as I turned on the screen. When the brightness dimmed to match the darkness in my bedroom, I turned it back around.

Seven and Yoosung.

I read the text messages and I only became more and more confused. Seven was laughing and Yoosung was crying. What was happening this late into the night? I ignored their text messages for now and went into the chat room.

Jaehee was worrying over Jumin, who went to meet the Oil Prince. Yoosung logged on just as Jaehee went to bed, so he missed her. He started talking about Seven’s eating habits and the perfect combination of food for your tastes buds. Ice cream, chips, and fish shaped bread… I should ask Jumin to share his nutritionists with the others.

Nothing in particular after that…

“Pass Out After Drinking Caffeine Syndrome.”

Seven…

Another prank on poor, little, Yoosung. As I scrolled through the rest of the messages, I clicked on the picture Seven attached. The presumed webpage had words like “00000111 00000000 00000111” and “I am just writing random BS to mock Yoosung.” Apparently, the syndrome originated from Long-Cat Island, and the disease sprung up when a cow ate a coffee bean. This cow then went and got a love interest.

I don’t know whether to be disappointed in Seven or in Yoosung.

I tried to tell Yoosung that he shouldn’t go out and buy chocolate milk at three in the morning. I’ll console him in the morning. As for Seven… well, I congratulated him for being able to type up a fake webpage so quickly. Now please, let me go back to sleep…

As I lay in bed and closed my eyes, my mind wandered to what happened earlier. Hmph… Zen liked Seo-Yeon better, did he? Seo-Yeon was his ideal type, was she? So what if I wasn’t as outgoing as Seo-Yeon? I was just as much of a “go-getter” as she was!...

Why did it hurt?

I snapped my eyes open, gasping softly and propping myself up on my elbows to stare at my phone that I just put down.

No. No way. Oh my god.

I can’t like him!

I haven’t even met the guy in person, yet!

What about my soul mates?! My career! I can’t date just anyone!

… Jaehee most definitely liked Zen, too. She was most certainly not just a fan. That hurt also.

Hm… that hurt in a different way – like the two were leaving me behind. That’s…odd. I swallowed thickly. Jumin. Seven. Yoosung. Thinking about any of them with a romantic partner put an uneasy feeling in my stomach. I fell back onto my pillow and turned over, covering a scream with the soft material.

Stupid heart.

I… can’t like them. Not like that.

Was it even possible to have crushes on so many people at once?! What was wrong with me…? I have soul mates waiting for me. Somewhere. I peeked an eye open and stared longingly at my phone. Were they my soul mates? Was I just going crazy?

I forced my eyes closed and huddled under my comforter. I can’t stay up all night; I had to attend my classes in the morning.

I don’t know when, but I was thankful I fell back asleep with my mind being so worked up. I woke up to my alarm this time. As I got ready to head to university, I conversed with Jumin and Jaehee in the chat room. Jaehee strongly disapproves of Seven’s prank. I admit, it was a bit cruel, especially at three in the morning, but Yoosung was quite fun to tease. And Jumin was none too happy that Jaehee wasn’t there to greet him at the airport.

How cute, they really relied on each other. Though it was a bit more than a normal boss and employee should.

…Stupid heart.

We ended up agreeing that we should try to invite the Oil Prince to the RFA party. I hoped he was easy to convince. I hurriedly logged out of the chat room and finished my breakfast quietly. Seo-Yeon could sleep in today, as our only official schedule was with the magazine.

I made my way to school on my own and sat in class. It was common knowledge that I attended this university, and it became wide spread gossip what classes I was in. The other students in the class would sometimes come up to me asking for me to sign this or that. The teacher made it a rule that that was not permitted near lecture time and they could hunt me down when it was over.

Just as the lecture was about to end, I heard my phone vibrate inside my bag. I hoped no one heard that. It must be against a textbook or something hard. When the professor called it a day, my first lecture was over. I had one more class today and then I had to meet my other professor in their office to take a make-up test. I grabbed my phone before moving out of my seat.

The RFA was talking about a gossip article on Jumin. It was about the lunch plans he had with his father just before going off to meet the Oil Prince. Ah… Jumin was cute fiddling with his phone like that.

What am I thinking…?

I had a bit of time before my next lecture. I found a bench outside to sit on, away from other people. Jaehee was online again. She suggested inviting an organization that helps the homeless. This party was really becoming diverse. It didn’t even have a sure date set yet.

Soon, Yoosung and Seven came online. Yoosung was crying again, saying that it was time to pass out. Seven added on to his prank, telling Yoosung that a humidifier was crucial to survival. Of course, the blonde didn’t have one on hand and started making confessions. He forgave V, admitted to stepping on Seven’s figurine and throwing it away, and he… liked me. I felt my pulse speed up.

Stupid heart.

Soul mates! I need to find my soul mates! I’m an idol!

In my attempt to think of something else, I played along with Seven’s prank. When Yoosung questioned why he didn’t faint, I told him the clock stopped in this world. Jaehee didn’t back me up, though, so it didn’t have quite the desired effect. Oh, so naïve. Yoosung wasn’t even angry when Jaehee told him everything was a lie, just relieved. There, there. I honestly hope he cheers up soon, though.

… My heartbeat was still too quick by the time my lecture started. Yoosung liked me. Well, I suppose he could’ve just meant it in a friendly manner, but that wasn’t how death confessions worked… right? Maybe I was getting my hopes up too high. As I daydreamed during class, I furiously stomped on and put fire to my hopes.

Idol. Soul mates. Idol and soul mates.

I’ll have to review what the professor taught in class today. I was lucky that everything I studied last night still stuck to my memories. I took the make-up exam with relative ease and bid my professor a good day. I should grab a quick lunch. The others were always asking if I ate yet and reminded me to take care of myself. Though, looking at the time, I should hurry home first. If I have time to eat before the magazine shoot, then I will.

The others will be disappointed in me, though. Maybe I’ll call Seo-Yeon and ask her to make me something. Before I could dial her number, the RFA app alerted me to more people entering the chat room. As I travelled, Yoosung ranted about how he was going to quit playing LOLOL to raise his TOEIC scores and Jaehee encouraged him to build up his resume.

  

 **Yoosung:** MC! Seven said you go to university and have a job?!

 **Yoosung:** (〇o〇；)

 **Jaehee:** Apparently your job is so time consuming that you must miss school.

 **MC:** It’s not as bad as it sounds~

 **MC:** I actually just finished my classes. I’m on my way home to eat before heading off to work.

 **Yoosung:** (〇o〇；)

 **Yoosung:** Wow… Doing both at once…

 **Jaehee:** As long as you take care of yourself, it shouldn’t be a problem.

 **Jaehee:** Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help.

 **Jaehee:** Especially now that you are also our guest coordinator.

 **MC:** Thanks, Jaehee! I really appreciate the gesture, but I’m all right.

 **MC:** I’m used to being busy, so it’s really no problem right now.

 **Yoosung:** How good are your TOEIC scores?!

 **MC:** I’m fluent in English. It was the third language my parents taught me while I was young ^^;

 **Yoosung:** Th-third?!

 **MC:** My parents travelled for work a lot, so it was natural to learn.

 **MC:** I can help you study if you’d like.

 **MC:** (*⌒∇⌒*)

 **Yoosung:** To be honest, out of everyone in this organization… I think I’m the most normal one.

 

The three of us went on to talk about Yoosung’s naivety about the job market and Jaehee’s experiences. Celebrities walking around in public nonchalantly really did draw little attention. Act natural. It helped that I had large sunglasses on. I took public transportation to school most of the time. It hasn’t been long since YeonYeon became popular, so it was normal for the public not to really take notice before. Unless things became troublesome, Ye-Jun agreed to allow me to keep taking public transport.

Time moved quicker when I talked with the others. Sooner than I realized, I arrived at the closest stop to my apartment.

“How was class?” Seo-Yeon greeted as I entered.

“Fine. The test wasn’t as difficult as I thought it would be.”

“As expected of you.” Seo-Yeon laughed. “I made you lunch because I know you haven’t eaten anything yet.”

“You’re acting like a mother.”

“Because my best friend is acting like she doesn’t know what free time is.” She huffed, putting a hand on her hip. “Just eat lunch.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“I’m only a year older than you! Don’t call me ma’am!”

Thankfully, the magazine interview and photo shoot concluded without incident. Ye-Jun drove us to the company building afterwards, saying we should go practice a little for tomorrow’s music show. Before heading to the practice studio, he took us to his office to show us some fan mail that was delivered.

“This,” Ye-Jun started, holding out a small box to me. “Was delivered directly to your apartment instead of here. The lobby receptionist accepted it on your behalf so we could check it, since you never said you were expecting something.”

The apartment Seo-Yeon and I lived in was part of a building that our label company owned. Other artists, actors, and models lived in that building if they wished to, it wasn’t a requirement. The rent was taken out of our overall pay for the month, as everything we did went to the company first and then divided out to us after they took a portion of it. The building was well secured, equipped with state of the art securities systems and guards on patrol 24/7.

“What is it?” I asked, shaking the box a little bit. Hard cardboard bumped against the sides of the box. The shipping box was already opened by Ye-Jun so I easily pulled the flaps open and peered inside. It was two physical copies of our album.

“The note that was inside.” Ye-Jun added, giving me a piece of paper. “Do you know this crazy person?”

The paper was shaped into what was supposed to be Long Cat. Written on it were an unfamiliar address and a bunch of chibi doodles with happy expressions. I suddenly laughed as I saw the signature at the bottom.

_< 3 God Seven_

“He’s a member of the RFA. I promised to sign these for him.” I giggled. “Sorry for the trouble, Ye-Jun. I didn’t know he’d send them to me.”

“God Seven?” Seo-Yeon mumbled.

I shrugged in amusement as I took out the two albums that were still in perfect condition.

“He wants you to send them back?” Ye-Jun questioned, taking one of the albums and opening the plastic wrapper for me.

“We probably won’t meet in person until the RFA party, so I guess this would be faster.” I replied, throwing the wrapper out. Ye-Jun handed me a permanent marker and put the album down on his desk.

“Why does he need two?” Seo-Yeon asked next, accepting another marker.

“Something about selling one.” I said nonchalantly.

“I’m tempted to stop you from signing the other one.” Ye-Jun grumbled, but didn’t actually attempt to halt me.

Seo-Yeon and I signed the hard cardboard cover of both album cases. Afterwards, I flipped open the magnetic cover of both of them and took out the photo books to sign the corner of the cover as well. Seo-Yeon didn’t even wait for me to ask before pulling the booklets to her side. We didn’t usually sign the photo books, but I thought it could be a cute surprise.

Ye-Jun dug around in a large box settled in the corner of his office. He took out a cardboard tube and a rectangular box that seemed to be heavy. Opening them both up, he took out the poster that coordinated with this album and a large photo of just me to autograph. “You can give these to him as freebies.”

“Thanks.” I replied gratefully, signing the offered objects as well. Seo-Yeon signed the poster without complaint. “You, too, Seo.”

“You would have asked anyways. I know you.” He said with an exasperated sigh.

“You would do the same for me.” Seo-Yeon replied as though it were no big deal.

“While you girls practice, I’ll get this packed up and sent.” Ye-Jun offered.

“You’re the best.” I gave our manager a quick hug around the middle. He patted me on the head like I was just a little kid.

I couldn’t wait until Seven got these. I hope this makes him happy!

…Stupid heart.

Stop beating so fast!


	9. Envy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day Four, Day Five
> 
> “That was an interesting conversation. What are you talking about Echo Girl for?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CF: Commercial Film

 

As I sat in Rika’s apartment answering the last of the emails, a notification popped up on my screen showing that someone entered the chat room.

Oh!

Quickly saving my progress, I went into the chat room. This was indeed a rare opportunity. V was online.

Yoosung was also logged in right now too. The ensuing conversation was anything but friendly. I had heard from the others, and even Yoosung himself, that the blonde didn’t fully trust RFA’s leader. It especially didn’t help that V set the party to be held a week from now.

…A week?!

He didn’t expect a grand party like their previous ones, so that lifted a bit of weight from my shoulders. He was rather considerate. Yoosung didn’t take it the same way. I tried to calm Yoosung down a bit. Arguments rarely got solved when the parties were overly heated and yelling at each other. However, I could agree that Yoosung had some points. Why didn’t V hold other parties? Why couldn’t anyone fill Rika’s job? It was understandable that he’d take some time away to mourn, but if everyone was so willing to help me, why couldn’t V inspire the same teamwork? No, that wasn’t it. V did have the respect of the other members; they’d help him in a heartbeat. This classified information that only V and Seven knew… I wonder what it was. Did Seven know? V said the hacker was only in charge of handling classified information, not that Seven actually knew of its’ contents.

I looked over my shoulder. The desk with the computer I wasn’t supposed to touch sat against the wall. Those drawers on the bottom were locked and equipped with a sensitive alarm system. I wouldn’t dare touch those, as I wasn’t a snoop by nature. I respected their privacy. But what was so important in there? They said it was things that Rika took care of while maintaining secrecy. Whatever that meant.

Yoosung left in a huff, however, thankfully, he was calmer. I think deep in his heart, Yoosung understood V’s situation, too. The loss of Rika must have been especially hard on them both. V thanked me for being so kind. That flustered me a bit. It was him who was kind, really. Even through a screen, and after all of Yoosung’s doubts, I could feel that he truly cared for the other members.

Jaehee entered the chat as V was apologizing that he couldn’t help much as he was going on a trip. The way Jaehee talked about his work, V’s photographs must really be renowned. I’m grateful that he’s so willing to donate as many as he could to the RFA to auction off.

V really did care for the others very much.

He was a man who did everything he could to ensure his friends were well. Before he logged out, he left me with one more piece of advice: if anything happened, contact either 707 or Jumin.

…Would something happen?

I guess I’d forgotten with the days beforehand so busy but carefree. The person who sent me here was still a mystery. I checked the time. It was getting rather late; Ye-Jun was coming to get me soon. I quickly completed the email I left unfinished and logged out of the app. Gathering my things, I waved goodbye to the CCTV camera.

I wonder if he was watching me. He promised to keep an eye out for me, even out on the streets with any available CCTV the city provided. I do feel bad for making him work so much, though. I made my way through the bustling nightlife, hurrying to where Ye-Jun stalled the car. I carefully kept my dust mask on. I love my fans, I owe them all of my success, but I was not fond of making a scene in the middle of a busy food district.

The night rolled by smoothly once I finally made it to bed. It wasn’t a new occurrence, but none of my soul mates in our dreamscape were moving, thus, they weren’t asleep yet. It was already fairly late when I went to sleep, so I couldn’t imagine what the others were up to. I was a bit disappointed I couldn’t greet anyone, but they led busy lives, there was nothing anyone could do about it.

Seo-Yeon and I woke up early, the recording session for the music show started early afternoon. This time, we were near the end of the list of performances, so we ended up finishing our prep work well ahead of our scheduled time. After a short interview with the hosts of the show in the recorded section back stage, Seo-Yeon and I retreated back to our assigned dressing room. I absently hummed our title track while I sat still to allow a makeup artist to clean up the stray glitter that fell from my eye shadow.

“Mi-Yeon, this is yours, right?”

I looked to the side with just my eyes. The makeup artist assigned to Seo-Yeon held up a ringing phone.

“Oh, thank you.” I said gratefully, reaching out my arm while trying to keep my head still. “Sorry.”

“It was, seriously, three steps. What are you apologizing for?” The makeup artist scoffed playfully, putting my phone in my hand.

“Three steps is a marathon to her.” Seo-Yeon snickered.

“Hello?” I answered, ignoring my best friend.

_“Babe!”_ An excited voice exclaimed on the other line. _“Today is amazing!”_

“Did something good happen, Zen?”

_“I wanted to tell you first.”_ My heart beat a little faster. _“I just met with the director. I got a new role! And it’s amazing!”_

“I thought you said you had one a couple days ago?”

_“I gave that to someone else. This one is a much bigger production. I’ll be acting with a famous celebrity that acts on TV!”_

“Congratulations! I’m happy for you.” I replied with a giggle at how enthusiastic he seemed – like a kid in a candy store.

_“Hearing you say that makes me excited.”_ He laughed. _“The actress is apparently a really popular singer. I don’t know her, but apparently she’s famous. Echo Girl? Or something.”_

“Ehh~ Echo Girl, huh?” I replied smoothly, smothering down the envy growing in my heart. “I hope everything goes well, she’s really popular nowadays. Good luck.”

_“If you cheer for me, I feel like I can do anything.”_

The performance currently on the stage stimulated the live studio audience to cheer. Both the loud music and voices bled through the walls.

_“Babe? Where are you right now? Sounds like you’re next to a concert or something.”_

“Oh, just at work. I’m waiting around for something.” I evaded. It would be awkward at this point to say what my career was. I also didn’t want to risk them treating me any differently. If I could act as nothing more than a non-celebrity citizen of Korea and they enjoyed my presence as such, then they probably won’t treat me specially once they found out. Or so I hoped. I was just M.C. with them, not Mi-Yeon of YeonYeon, or Mi-Yeon, daughter to famous Korean and Japanese pianists.

_“That’s some pretty loud music. A recent release, too, I think.”_

“As recent as it gets.” I laughed softly. If only I wasn’t so afraid to tell him now. My heart filled with warmth the more we talked so casually. I didn’t want to lose this closeness yet. Would they be angry that I did? Would I be able to keep these friends who I so easily enamor?

_“Maybe I should look up some of Echo Girl’s songs if I’m going to be working with her.”_ That growing, jealous feeling inside me was starting to feel familiar. _“Ah, Seven has been raving about that one group lately. The one with Mi-Yeon. I might watch their newest music video just to see what he’s talking about.”_

“I guess you don’t listen to much music other than your own songs from musicals.” I jested lightly.

_“Haha, you know me so well, babe.”_ Zen replied warmly. _“I’ve heard of YeonYeon before from my co-workers. Like I told you in the chat. My co-worker is a real big fan, made us watch their music video and everything after getting an autograph. I think that’s why I know some of their nicknames and public personality. Hmm… I’ve listened to some of their other songs from their last album. They have really good vocals, I admit.”_

“Good enough to have a shot at a collaboration with you?” I asked.

_“Well, I’ve heard my voice is pretty top notch. Maybe I’ll serenade you one day.”_

I felt my cheeks flush. I hope no one else noticed. My makeup artist had finished with my touch up long ago and had moved away, thankfully. Before I could reply, there was a knock on the door. A staff member peeked in and announced we had fifteen minutes.

“I have to get going.” I said, sounding sadder than I thought I would.

_“You’re at work, don’t sound like you’re pouting. You’re going to make me want to run to you.”_ Zen replied smoothly. _“Let’s talk later. Have a good day!”_

With that, we hung up. I put my phone down on the table before taking a quick drink of water.

“That was an interesting conversation. What are you talking about Echo Girl for?” Seo-Yeon asked, adjusting her stage outfit and twirling in front of a mirror to triple check.

“He’s a musical actor. He got a lead role with Echo Girl, apparently.”

“Good luck to him.” Seo-Yeon said with a shrug, leaving our dressing room. I followed closely after her. “She only ever makes friends with men, anyways.”

“I am well aware.” I almost sighed knowingly. Echo Girl, although mainly an idol singer like us, has never tried to get to know other singers unless they were male. She was never hostile to any females save they got in her way, or so the rumor mill hidden within the industry went. Her public image was that of an innocent, young, beautiful woman.

Seo-Yeon and I have never met the girl in person, though, thus I couldn’t say for sure what Echo Girl was really like. In any case, I hope this opportunity went well for Zen. Echo Girl’s fame could really help him climb up in this industry. It was a tough ascension, and even trickier to stay in the spotlight.

As Seo-Yeon and I stood around backstage, we linked hands, threading our fingers together. The gesture has become our tradition before every performance. It started at our first ever stage appearance. The two of us were horribly out of sync for the entirety of that morning and our nerves weren’t helping. Seo-Yeon had grabbed my hand and held on to it for the entire two hours remaining until show time. It helped calm us down, knowing we weren’t alone, and it eventually got us used to each other.

With a deep breath, we were once again ready to face our audience together.

 

When we finally made it back to the company building, Ye-Jun gave us a pat on the back. A customary ‘good work out there’ gesture. In his office, Ye-Jun took out his laptop and split the screen. One side showed pictures of a company excelling in sport and gym apparel and the other side showed various pieces of exquisite jewelry. Ye-Jun continued by placing sheet music in front of where I stood.

“This,” Ye-Jun began, pointing at the sport and gym apparel side of the laptop. “Is an endorsement that came in for Seo-Yeon. A very popular brand, if you ask me. And those sheets are two original soundtracks for an upcoming television drama – Mi-Yeon that one is for you. You won’t need to promote anything, leave that to the actors. So it won’t strain your voice while promoting our album.”

Seo-Yeon was always more athletic than I was, so I wasn’t surprised. She was better at dancing, too, possessing natural talent for physical activities. And even though Seo-Yeon could easily elicit a multitude of emotions in her voice, the only emotion I sang better than her was melancholy – a sad, longing love. I didn’t even want to think of why I could sing that particular emotion better. Not to say I couldn’t sing happy songs; Seo-Yeon was just better at happy, outgoing emotions. The second OST was of a happy, delicate love, probably used for the ending.

I get a number of OST requests due to the delicacy of my singing ability. Seo-Yeon’s voice had the capability to be powerful and was probably the primary reason why our upbeat, dance songs did so well on the charts.

“And this is a distinguished jewelry brand.” Ye-Jun continued. “YeonYeon as a group will have this endorsement from this company.”

“Busy, busy, Manager Ye-Jun.” Seo-Yeon said, impressed. “We’ll do our best.”

“Thank you for all of your hard work.” I said as well.

It was still rather early in the day, just passing afternoon. Seo-Yeon and I decided to do some strength exercise in the company’s gym before parting ways. I went to Rika’s apartment fairly early today, taking a salad with me to eat for dinner. As usual, I started off with answering guest emails before logging into the chat room.

 

**Yoosung:** Seven, stop spamming the chat!

**707:** But I have exciting news!!!

**707:** It

**707:** Has

**707:** Arrived!

**MC:** What has?

**707:** MC has entered the chat room! Perfect timing!

**Yoosung:** Can’t you just tell us what you’re so excited about?

**Yoosung:** You’ve been raving for fifteen minutes now!

**Yoosung:** Tell me!

**Yoosung:** I’m so curious!

**707:** One day,

**707:** Secret agent, 707,

**707:** Met an elusive woman by chance.

**Yoosung:** What are you talking about?

**Yoosung:** ｢(ﾟﾍﾟ)

**707:** Agent 707 took it upon himself to

**707:** keep her safe on the streets of Korea!

**MC:** ^^;;

**Yoosung:** ｢(ﾟﾍﾟ)

**707:** And in return!!!!

**Yoosung:** In return????

**707:** Maybe I’ll tell you later.

**Yoosung:** SEVEN!

**Yoosung:** What? What!? Tell me!

**MC:** LOL please, Seven?

**MC:** (*⌒∇⌒*)

**707:** Since you asked so nicely~

**Yoosung:** ┗(｀皿´)┛

**707:** <photo of signed YeonYeon albums>

**707:** <photo of signed YeonYeon poster>

**707:** <photo of autographed picture of Mi-Yeon with message “Thank you for everything, God Seven <3”>

**Yoosung:** (〇o〇；)

**Yoosung:** You actually got them signed?!

**Yoosung:** By both of them?!

**Yoosung:** And a free poster and autograph message?!

_Jumin Han has entered the chatroom_

**Yoosung:** You weren’t lying when you said you knew Mi-Yeon?!

**707:** Would I lie to you, Yoosung?

**707:** I’m hurt.

**Jumin Han:** It is not good to make a habit of trusting people who hold as many secrets as you do.

**MC:** Good evening, Jumin. Ouch ^^;

**Jumin Han:** Good evening, MC.

**707:** But you like me anyways!

**707:** Ｏ(≧∇≦)Ｏ

**Jumin Han:** I will never like a person who abuses cats.

**707:** I just want to hug her,

**707:** And kiss her,

**707:** And swing her around!

**Jumin Han:** Gods…

**Yoosung:** That’s abuse…

**Yoosung:** But back to the important thing!

**Yoosung:** Seven! Can you get me an autograph, too?!

**707:** You said you didn’t like them.

**707:** （；￣д￣）

**Yoosung:** I didn’t say that!

**Yoosung:** I said I haven’t had a chance to listen to any of their songs!

**Yoosung:** But I looked up their latest song

**Yoosung:** And they have pretty voices.

**Yoosung:** Plus… They’re both kind of, really, cute.

**MC:** Aww, so sweet.

**MC:** (*⌒∇⌒*)

**707:** Jumin! You should hire them to model for C&R~

**707:** They’re still considered new, trending idols, so their contract asking price is still moderately low.

**707:** It’s lower than when C&R signed Echo Girl to model for heart-shaped vitamin pills.

**707:** Personally, I think they should ask for more but…

**MC:** How do you know that…?

**MC:** Σ(･口･)

**707:** It’s a good deal, Jumin~

**707:** Mi-Yeon is an experienced model and CF model and Seo-Yeon has a fan base for acting.

**Jumin Han:** You are asking a favor from me,

**Jumin Han:** To help your new friend solidify her career?

**Jumin Han:** I admire your boldness.

**Jumin Han:** I’ve already decided to ask Zen to model for my new cat food line,

**Yoosung:** But…??

**Jumin Han:** I might consider it.

**MC:** Σ(･口･)

 


	10. Out Of The Blue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day Five
> 
> "Don’t say things like that. You’re only going to make me fall for you more…"

  **Yoosung:** But…??

**Jumin Han:** I might consider it.

**MC:** Σ(･口･)

_Jaehee Kang has entered the chatroom_

**Jaehee Kang:** So you are here, Mr. Han.

**Jaehee Kang:** You haven’t been answering my calls… again.

**Jaehee Kang:** Are you all right? You didn’t seem happy this morning.

**MC:** Did something happen this morning?

**Jumin Han:** Come to think of it, something did happen this morning.

**Yoosung:**?

**Jumin Han:** There was a woman at my house.

**707:** A woman?

**Yoosung:** Woman who?

**MC:** Was it your employee?

**Jumin Han:** …I’ve never seen her before.

**Jumin Han:** Anyways, I remember she said that we were going to get engaged.

**707:** **（＊〇□〇）……！**

**MC:** What?! Oh… uhm…

 

I felt my stomach lurch uncomfortably. I bit my lip. I shouldn’t feel like this, but…

 

**Yoosung:** You can’t!

**Yoosung:** …

**Yoosung:** You just can’t, okay!?

**Jaehee Kang:** That is… quite shocking…

**Jumin Han:** … What she said is not important.

**Jumin Han:** I had to tell off the security guards.

**Jumin Han:** How dare they let someone in without my permission?

**Jaehee Kang:** This is an unusual day.

**Jaehee Kang:** Chairman Han keeps calling as well to ensure that you attend tonight’s dinner.

**Yoosung:** …

**Yoosung:** Nothing is true, right?

**Yoosung:** Promise me, Jumin!

**Yoosung:** You… already have us…

**MC:** Yoosung?

**Jumin Han:** I do not want any other woman besides Elizabeth 3rd inside my house.

**Jumin Han:** So I’ll have to tell my father.

**Jumin Han:** I have two meetings to focus on.

**Jumin Han:** I should get going.

**Jumin Han:** Assistant Kang.

**Jaehee Kang:** I will meet you at the conference room.

**Jaehee Kang:** See you later, everyone.

_Jumin Han has left the chatroom_

_Jaehee Kang has left the chatroom_

**Yoosung:** …

**MC:** Are you okay?

**Yoosung:** Ah it’s just that…

Jumin already had them? What was that supposed to mean? It made me relieved that someone said what I couldn’t, but I also felt confusion. Were they in a relationship? “Them”… multiple partners? I wonder if Yoosung was Jumin’s soul mate. If that were the case, I definitely did not want to interfere. These feelings of mine… for both Yoosung and Jumin… I shouldn’t act on them.

Even though three of us were still logged into the chat room, no one talked for several seconds. It felt like an eternity.

… That’s right. I was just a stranger that barged into their close-knit group out of the blue.

 

**MC:** You don’t have to tell me if you’re uncomfortable with it.

**Yoosung:** It’s not that!...

**Yoosung:** It’s just… not publicly known…

**MC:** That you’re soul mates?

**Yoosung:** (〇o〇；)

**Yoosung:** Was it that obvious?

**MC:** Not at first, don’t worry.

**MC:** I’m sure Jumin wants to keep you out of the public eye. He’s worried about you.

**MC:** Jumin… doesn’t seem like the type to betray the people he keeps close.

**MC:** He should by fine, right?...

**Yoosung:** It has only been a few days but you seem like you understand him much better than us.

**Yoosung:** If he has you worrying about him, then I’m sure he’ll feel better. I would.

**Yoosung:** I’m glad you came to us.

**Yoosung:** (o^∀^o)

 

Don’t say things like that. You’re only going to make me fall for you more…

 

**MC:** Where’s Seven?

**Yoosung:** Hm… He’s still logged on.

**Yoosung:** …

**707:** Sorry, work suddenly came up.

**707:** I’m off.

_707 has left the chatroom_

**Yoosung:** … I’ll give him a call.

**Yoosung:** Don’t skip your meals, MC!

**MC:** You, too.

_Yoosung has left the chatroom_

I soon logged out as well. Seven seemed out of it and I don’t particularly buy his excuse. He usually says his goodbyes with quirky words and self-given nicknames. Maybe Seven was part of the “them.” I fell onto my back on the couch and used my arm to cover my eyes. I was an idol. I had soul mates to look for.

I was a stranger that came out of the blue.

I sat in Rika’s apartment in complete silence for who knows how long, not able to focus on anything. I was supposed to go to school tomorrow morning, but my homework was mocking me with how blank the pages were. I distracted myself by going back into the chat room. Jaehee came in, asking if I had feelings for anyone, specifically Zen. I felt my heart speed up in panic. I played it safe, saying I haven’t known them for long. She reprimanded me, declaring I shouldn’t ruin someone’s career over temporary fantasies.

Yeah… she’s right.

I can’t just date someone who wasn’t my soul mate. I don’t want to, but I… I think I really feel something. Even for Jaehee, who seems to be putting a barrier between me and everyone else. I want to see her happy. Maybe Jaehee and Zen were soul mates? I wouldn’t be surprised, to be honest.

I don’t want to ruin them.

Instead of my assignments, I took out the sheet music Ye-Jun gave me. I hummed the notes, getting used to the rhythm. If nothing else, music always allowed me an escape from reality. Getting absorbed into the story, I subconsciously let my lips to play with the words. Before I knew it, I was singing it softly. Without the accompanying music, it was only my voice that echoed within the walls.

For some reason, I had the urge to look up to the security camera. I smiled wistfully as I sang, keeping my eyes on the paper in my hand. Was my audience of one watching? I thought I felt eyes on me, even though we were probably miles apart. The more I familiarized myself with the OST, my voice got a little more confident. I wasn’t sure how thin the walls were, so I kept my volume to a minimum.

I wouldn’t have to record these songs for a little while yet. The production staff was still auditioning actors and actresses and securing other critical roles. My singing trailed off as I thought of my schedule. Recording this song would take place just after the RFA party, probably – which was still in the middle of YeonYeon’s promotional period. I’ll have to really take care of myself.

My phone alerted me to a new text message.

 

_From 707: Sing some more. It’s nice._

_To 707: So you were watching. I thought I felt eyes on me._

_From 707: I check the CCTV every 2.35 seconds to make sure you’re okay!_

_From 707: But just looking at a screen is making me so frustrated._

_To 707: I knew it! I felt as if you were looking at me every 2.35 seconds!_

_From 707: Hearing you singing was just a bonus. Your voice… really makes me feel calm._

_To 707: I was practicing new songs. I’ll sing for you for real one day._

_From 707: I thought I didn’t recognize what you were singing. What is it for?_

_To 707: Secret_ _★~(_ _◠_ _△_ _◕_ _✿)_

_From 707: Oh~ A secretive woman, huh?_

Whatever the reason, I’m glad he’s back to his usual self. While texting him, I didn’t realize how time had passed. It was already after dinnertime. Seven said he had work to finish so he’ll let me eat in peace. Not that I thought he was bothering me, but I let him go. Without any other noise in Rika’s apartment to cut through the silence, I logged into the messenger, putting my phone on the table next to the container of food I brought.

Jumin and Zen were logged in. Jumin… seemed hurt.

 

**Jumin Han:** What do you think of a father who’s tied up his son and company in a little package

**Jumin Han:** and is planning to hand it over to his fiancé’s student?

**MC:** What are you talking about? Did something happen?

**Jumin Han:** Yes it did.

**ZEN:** (ﾟヘﾟ)？

**ZEN:** Don’t tell me Mr. Han…

**Jumin Han:** He’s now completely blinded by a woman

**Jumin Han:** and is selling off his son and the company’s reputation.

 

It was unusual for Jumin to get so worked up and hostile. Even though the stinging in my chest appeared once more, I felt worse that he was having such a hard time. I tried asking him to calm down and think about the situation objectively. Zen was even taking a step back from the typical insults and sympathizing. Jaehee came into the chat room, stressed over the tricky situation they were put in thanks to Jumin leaving in the middle of dinner.

Jumin seemed to want to take his mind off of his father and Glam Choi. He changed the subject, talking like a true businessman. I had no experience in business, but gathering the board directors for the next morning seemed a little irrational. Jumin apologized that I had to see this and promptly left.

The three of us went on to talk about what we really thought Glam Choi was after. Zen was adamant in his dislike for the woman, Jaehee agreeing as well. I felt terrible that Jaehee’s schedule was about to look worse than mine. On top of her regular work, she’ll have to research Glam Choi and her supposed student. Even if it was more work, Jaehee was trying her best for both the company and Jumin.

They really did care for one another.

I was just a stranger that came out of the blue.

Did I have any right to feel this way about them? I would just be a burden…

But maybe if they were all each other’s soul mates… they would be mine? Zen did also say “them” at one point… It was very rare to have six soul mates, after all. Excluding V, there were five people who could be each other’s soul mates.

… Maybe that was just wishful thinking on my part.

When the others left the chat room, I checked my RFA email once more. I only stay in the apartment to see if anyone responds and I can answer back in a timelier manner. It was getting late, and Ye-Jun would be here soon. I gathered up my things, packing them away in the backpack I brought. Making sure I turned off all of the lights, I walk out of the apartment and hear the lock click into place.

I spotted the company’s car parked amongst others, blending in to be inconspicuous. Ye-Jun used one of the sedans to drop me off and pick me up. Usually, he had to drive a van around, as was the standard. However, vans were also infinitely more noticeable. I couldn’t stop myself from smiling gratefully as I safely got to the car.

“Good evening. Thanks again.” I greeted while opening the passenger door.

“How are the invitations coming along?” He asked, checking his surroundings to make sure it was safe to start driving.

“Not so bad. Probably nothing grand, but it’s coming along nicely.”

“Everyone has to start somewhere.” Ye-Jun pacified with a shrug. “Knowing you, you’re already giving it your all.”

“I don’t want to disappoint.” I replied sheepishly.

“Did you have a chance to look at those songs?”

“Mm, they’re nice. Not too difficult to sing.”

“How confident are you in your piano skills?”

“Heh,” I laughed, almost dryly. “Whose daughter am I? It’s probably why I developed perfect pitch.” After keenly listening to my parents play day in and day out since I was in my mother’s womb, I developed the auditory phenomenon. It was only a guess, but that’s what I believe happened.

“Then you’d be up for recording the piano part for that first OST?”

“Sure.” I agreed easily, absently staring at the city lights blurring past.

“I’ll confirm it after dropping you off, then.”

“You should take breaks, too.” I said softly, getting lost in thought. I’ll probably get double the pay, meaning the company gets double the pay. I don’t care how much I make personally, but I hope Ye-Jun gets bonuses for working so hard to promote YeonYeon. He married his soul mate not too long ago, it’s good to start saving up money in case they decide to add to their family.

My mind wandered to my parents. I wonder what they’re doing tonight.

Before I could think on it further, Ye-Jun announced that we made it to my apartment complex. Thanking him once more, I bid him goodnight and hurried inside so he could go home too. I greeted the receptionist and the security guards briefly as I made my way to the elevator.

Once I opened the door to my apartment, I saw Seo-Yeon sprawled across our sofa, holding her phone above her.

“I’m home.” I announced, careful not to startle her. “What are you doing?”

“Welcome back.” Seo-Yeon said distractedly. “I’m figuring out how I’m going to preform this alone without it looking and sounding odd.”

I leaned over the back of the couch. She was playing the music video to one of the songs on our album. It wasn’t our title track, but an EDM like song that was put in to show off Seo-Yeon’s dancing abilities. It’s probably our second most popular song on this album, trailing behind the title track. Possibly why our label decided to make the music video in the first place, anticipating the popularity. It’s also one of our trickiest songs. The vocals switched frequently between the two of us to keep up with the fast beat, and the dancing was no cakewalk. In order to keep Seo-Yeon relatively centered, I moved across the stage more times than I could count. It was a good song, fun to preform, but demanding. For me. To my relief, I was doing most of the complicated, technical singing, so I could stand still to perform the notes instead of dancing on beat with the others.

“You’ll be fine. You’re in the center most of the time anyways.” I reassured, putting my backpack down on the cushions. “Do you have any backup dancers?”

“Two.” Seo-Yeon said absently. This song had the most backup dancers constantly on stage with us than any of the other songs on our album. Cutting that down to two would probably make it feel like an entirely different song.

“And you didn’t practice?”

“What do you think I’ve been doing all evening?” She huffed playfully. “But without you, being alone on stage is awkward. And I have to sing your parts, too.”

“Why don’t you own the stage like you usually do?” I teased. “With your voice.”

Tomorrow, the two of us had individual activities. Seo-Yeon was headed off to a variety show while I went to school. She’d probably be introduced onto the program by preforming the song, or at least a short version of it. Well before Seo-Yeon would finish her recording session, I had a photo shoot to attend for a clothing brand that I modeled for. I then had a guest appearance on a radio show afterwards.

It didn’t seem like much, but it was busy work.

I hope I had time to chat with the RFA members.

I was worried about Jumin. If there was any way I could help him, even if it was just lending an ear to listen to his agonies, I want to do so. Yoosung seemed to be having a hard time with the situation, emotionally, as well. Even Seven seemed to be out of sorts with the situation. Later that night, when I went into the chat room with only Seven logged in, he bounced between hot and cold – saying sweet words one minute and telling me I shouldn’t care about him the next.

I don’t know what’s going on, anymore. I don’t know these people. I don’t know their personalities, their lives, or their true selves outside of this messenger. I don’t know anything about them.

I’m just a stranger out of the blue.

But I’m in love with them anyways.


	11. Strong For Them

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day Six
> 
> "I was used to that feeling, and I didn’t want it to befall anyone else."

After helping Seo-Yeon practice a little more, I stayed up late into the night to finish the homework that I had to turn in in the morning. My pen and musings were halted by the notification sound my phone made. Shifting my gaze, I noticed the RFA icon appear on my screen. I wondered who logged in. My curiosity would eventually get the better of me, so I picked up my phone and logged in as well.

 

**ZEN:** Hey, MC.

**MC:** Zen, I missed you, even though we talked only a few hours ago~

**ZEN:** I missed you too.

**ZEN:** But

**ZEN:** I’m ashamed to see you right now…

**ZEN:** I don’t know what Seven meant

**ZEN:** going on and on about connections and whatever,

**ZEN:** but one thing’s certain.

**ZEN:** My ankle bones have given up trying to connect.

**ZEN:** (;-_-)ノ

**MC:** Your ankle bones?!

**MC:** That’s serious! Do you want me to go to you? Take you to the hospital?

**ZEN:** I appreciate you saying that.

**ZEN:** But…

**ZEN:** it won’t be solved even if you came all the way here.

**ZEN:** It’s embarrassing to tell you this but I feel as if my ankle is screaming.

**ZEN:** (;-_-)ノ

**MC:** Just be calm for now… is there anything I can help you with?

**ZEN:** Thanks, MC.

**ZEN:** I’ll try to calm down.

**ZEN:** Don’t worry too much…

**ZEN:** I’ll be fine.

**ZEN:** I shouldn’t have gone too hard.

**ZEN:** Jumin that jerk…

**ZEN:** He can’t just say he’s getting engaged, not act like himself, and just disappear.

**ZEN:** And he’s making Jaehee do more work again!

**ZEN:** Ugh, the jerk.

**ZEN:** I bet he doesn’t even care Jaehee is trying her best to help him, like always.

**ZEN:** See if I care when he drowns.

**MC:** Drown?

**MC:** In your dreamscape?

**ZEN:** Oh

**ZEN:** Heh, I can’t seem to keep anything from you

**ZEN:** I didn’t mean to start complaining to you.

**ZEN:** It’s so pathetic of me

**ZEN:** to be like this in front of you.

**MC:** No, you’re not pathetic. Think about getting to the hospital first.

**ZEN:** Thanks. I’m still embarrassed though.

**ZEN:** I never thought that I would miss the chance to act on stage because of a stupid injury.

**MC:** Please go to the hospital first. I don’t want your injury to get any worse.

 

Zen agreed that he should, and since it was late at night, he had to call an ambulance. Telling me not to worry too much about him was like telling me to stop breathing. I couldn’t not worry. On top of which, Jumin was still off the radar, dealing with his emotional stress all by himself.

I was used to that feeling, and I didn’t want it to befall anyone else.

But… there was one thing about our conversation that distracted me from my concern. Certainly, Zen didn’t mean for Jumin to physically drown, did he? Jumin did not seem to be mentally unstable enough to… What did I know? I shouldn’t assume someone’s mental stability. However, if that were the case, surely, they – who were close friends to Jumin even if they acted like they weren’t – would make sure he stayed safe. So what Zen meant by drowning was…

Was it really farfetched to believe that they, all of them, were each other’s soul mates?

Yoosung admitted to being Jumin’s soul mate. Seven seemed to be an addition to the “them” that Yoosung mentioned.

Jaehee was head over heels for Zen, and Zen, in turn, protected Jaehee from Jumin’s evil workload. I wasn’t certain if Jaehee was Zen’s soul mate, but she indisputably defended him like she was.

And if Zen intended to not care if Jumin drowned because Jumin refused to see that the others cared about him, did he mean the dreamscape’s version of drowning – the all-consuming depths of emotional despair that was projected as a beautifully taunting ocean?

Through this logic, the five of them were each other’s soul mates.

… But maybe it was wishful thinking and I was creating connections where there shouldn’t be any.

I groaned out loud, banging the back of my head on the back of the couch. Ouch. I was working in the living room so I could sit more comfortably on the couch…that I just hurt myself on.

“Never thought I’d see the day where homework has stumped you so hard.”

I tilted my head back a bit more and saw Seo-Yeon with an amused look on her face.

“… I’m delusional.” I confessed in a whisper. She raised an eyebrow in confusion, putting a hand on my forehead, presumably to check if I had a fever. “I’m convincing myself that the RFA members are my soul mates.”

“This would be the time I would say: I told you so. But I won’t.”

“You did…”

Seo-Yeon laughed, sitting next to me. “Well, then I’ll say it again. I. Told. You. So.”

“But I’m just making up something that suits me.”

“You’re making it up because you like them. You’ve never romantically liked anyone for as long as I’ve known you.” She shrugged; snatching a piece of fruit from the ones I cut up to have as a late night snack. “Have you even asked?”

“It’s impolite to ask directly, especially when I’m the outsider.”

“So soft spoken for an idol.” Seo-Yeon sighed dramatically, but I knew she was just playing around. “Well, I hope they are. I want you to be happy.”

“Right back at you.” I replied. We smiled sincerely at each other, just enjoying the other’s companionship. We’ve been friends for so long that no matter what sides we showed to each other, we knew the other wouldn’t turn away. This mutual trust, I hope it stays between us into the distant future.

Just before I called it a night and snuggled into my bed, Jaehee entered the chat room. I stayed awake a little longer to listen to Jaehee’s concern; I was in the same boat, after all. Apparently, Zen had an incredible recovery rate. I was a bit skeptical that once he had broken his arm and it healed in two days, but I’ll take Jaehee’s words for it. But even with how amazing that was, Jaehee had a point in saying that Zen’s new role with Echo Girl would be in jeopardy. I tried to convince her that nothing was certain until Zen called his director.

If I ever got injured, the song set would be adjusted and I could sing while staying still if I couldn’t dance. Seo-Yeon would most likely be told to stand still, as well, and allow the background dancers to do all of the work in exaggeration. Only if it were a stage where we sang just one or two songs. However, if Zen, who was a musical actor, got injured, an understudy might replace his role instead. Musicals lasted hours, not just a few minutes.

It… would be difficult, but like I told Jaehee, nothing was certain yet. I wish there was something I could do. I’m not that familiar with the musical world, however. And Zen has been adamant about not accepting help through the wealthy or higher ups. I wasn’t exactly either of those, but if he were refusing Jumin’s offers, what would make him take mine? I don’t have any offers for him, nonetheless. I’m not that powerful, even if YeonYeon was rising in popularity.

… Well… there might be one thing.

I won’t bring it up until Zen calls his director. I really hope he could keep this role, though. I haven’t known him long, but I could tell he’s been working extremely hard to obtain his dream. Acting alongside Echo Girl could be his big break. Though… Seo-Yeon and I watched one of her dramas and we couldn’t say we enjoyed her acting. However she was undoubtedly popular, which would help just about anyone climb their way into the spotlight.

The next morning, I woke up to Yoosung and Seven saying goodbye to Echo Girl’s autograph. I could only chuckle nervously at their insensitivity. And, apparently, both Yoosung and I were preparing to go to school at the same time. Somehow, the conversation veered to Yoosung’s major – which Seven didn’t know, surprisingly. Yoosung was offended that it wasn’t even in the official RFA membership records. He left the chat room not telling us. Seven continued to joke around, saying he had better things to hack into than the school database – like looking into the person who led me to Rika’s apartment.

Today, I got a ride to school from Ye-Jun. He was dropping me off before taking Seo-Yeon to the variety show shoot. I bid Seo-Yeon good luck as I exited the car and made my way to class. The van attracted some attention, so I stopped occasionally to take pictures with fans and sign various items. By the time I made it to my classroom, the lecture was about to start.

Long day, here we go.

When my first lecture was over, I quickly checked in with the RFA as I moved classrooms. I missed Jaehee talking about the newspaper articles that were just released stating Chairman Han was getting divorced and marrying Glam Choi. Like Jaehee said, there was no mistaking that something was going on in the background. Glam Choi and this student of hers had something up their sleeves. I hope we can figure out their goal before Jumin gets hurt further.

As I neared the room I needed to go to, I got a call from Yoosung.

_“MC, you’re at your university, aren’t you?”_

“Yeah, you, too, right? How has your day been so far?” I greeted pleasantly. Yoosung sounded a bit… distressed. It made my heart beat faster with anxiety.

_“…What do I do? What do I do?! I’m doomed…”_

“Do you have a pop quiz or something?” I guessed, leaning against the wall, away from the crowd of students walking.

_“… How did you know?”_ He whispered in disbelief. I held in a sigh of relief. Nothing terrible happened to him.

“It’s every student’s nightmare.” I teased.

_“Apparently, the professor told us before. How did I not know about this? I’m so shocked right now.”_

“Then that’s not a pop quiz.” I laughed softly. “Are you going to study for it?”

_“I want to do better in school. I want you to be proud of me. Seven said you have good grades even though you miss a lot of classes.”_ He trailed off. I felt my cheeks heat up. He was willing to put in the effort… for me. _“From today on, I’m going to be better!”_

“I look forward to it.” I encouraged earnestly. I checked my watch and felt disappointment well up in my heart. “Ah, I’m sorry Yoosung. My class is about to start. Good luck on your quiz!”

I spent a few more hours at university. Yoosung’s declaration still had my cheeks flushing with joy. The elation was short lived, however. Zen announced that he was released from the hospital with a cast on his leg. He seemed to be having an especially tough time, relying on cigarettes to cope. I felt sad seeing him this way.

My good mood was further brought down as Jaehee entered the chat room. She announced that Jumin was stopping all cat projects – the projects that he loved the most. I could almost physically feel the stress piling up on her shoulders. Her worry for Jumin on top of her anxiety over Zen’s injury made her a bit more defensive towards me than usual. Someone suggested earlier that I visit Zen to see how he was doing, and Jaehee was not having the idea even be thought over. I didn’t want to argue with her, so I proposed that at least someone should go to make sure he was all right on his own; it didn’t have to be me.

Truly, I could tell she wanted to be the one to visit the musical actor. The only problem was with everything going on at C&R there was little free time for her to even step out for coffee. Jumin needed her, too. I didn’t have much free time on hand today, either. Ye-Jun picked me up from university and dropped me off at home quickly. It took me less than half an hour to shower and freshen up before meeting Ye-Jun back at the van. He then brought me to my photo shoot before leaving to go supervise Seo-Yeon again. Variety shows were more unpredictable than photo shoots, so it was better for him to be with her in case Seo-Yeon needed his assistance.

I took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. I needed to let go of all of the negative emotions gnawing away at my gut else they’d appear on camera. I had to be professional; this wasn’t the time to allow personal matters affect my work ethic. I greeted everyone pleasantly before getting ushered off into my dressing room.

Fortunately, the photo shoot went by smoothly. We went over all of the photos one last time before calling it a day. Thanking everyone, I changed back into the clothes I came in and waited for Ye-Jun or someone Ye-Jun sent from the company to come and retrieve me. It turned out to be someone from our label that picked me up in the customary van. With my schedule as it was, Ye-Jun ordered for me to go to the company building to get ready for my radio show appearance hosted by a popular DJ. Even though it was for radio, the studio recorded the session to post clips on YouTube or to later post the whole session online.

My face was rewashed and redone, and I changed outfits once again. By the time I was finished, there was only an hour before I needed to be at the required destination. My stomach threatened to growl. Ah… the others would be angry with me. I didn’t have time to eat lunch and it was dinnertime already. As I was heading down to the cafeteria for something quick, Ye-Jun found me in a flurry, holding a bag in his hands.

“Here, your dinner.” He said while motioning for me to follow him. I didn’t argue, the earlier we got there, the better I suppose. “Seo-Yeon’s filming is running late.”

“They’re still filming?” I asked incredulously. Ye-Jun nodded, taking me to the car. It was the sedan. “Where are we going?”

“Eat dinner while working at the RFA office.” He informed me. “That way, you’re not going hungry and you don’t have to go out that late after the show.”

The radio show did run rather late, after all. I happily agreed, putting on my sunglasses just in case. As we arrived, Ye-Jun announced he was going back to Seo-Yeon once again and he’ll be back for me in just under an hour. I sneakily walked to the apartment, keeping my head down as I made my way through the busy food market.

Today has been hectic, to say the least.

And it just got even more so the second I entered the chat room. Jumin finally appeared, ceasing my worries for only a short moment.

 

**Jumin Han:** MC, you were here… Good.

**MC:** Jumin, I was worried! I heard what happened with your father…

**Jumin Han:** Assistant Kang explained the gist of it I see.

 

I felt an uncomfortable twinge in my chest. The miserable feeling continued on as Jumin opened up about this feeling called “upset.” He wasn’t the unemotional robot everyone made him out to be. Jumin was another human being that had been shaped by his surroundings. All those fleeting factors in his life came and went, leaving Jumin with nothing more than a confirmation that everyone went by the same script while interacting with him. Everyone had to be kind to the heir of one of the most prosperous businesses in Korea. He had to be praised and never scolded. Being on his good side was a must.

I, too, was expected to become someone great. At least, within the music industry, everyone looked upon my lineage with envious outlooks. Everyone was kind to me, but whether they truly were or just acting nice was always a thought that crossed my mind.

Jumin didn’t waste his energy on anything that wasn’t significant to him. I understood that. I, on the other hand, was too soft hearted to brush anyone aside. Unlike Jumin, I was sincerely kind to everyone I met. However, the nickname Snow Princess didn’t come from nowhere. I was gentle, soft spoken in nature, and could be friends with anyone willing, nevertheless, only those who I thought were important could ever be able to become emotionally close to me. Those were the only people I allowed into my protective bubble. I was cold, keeping everyone else at arms length.

Jumin and I were more alike than I could ever imagine.

I couldn’t help but feel that that was a terrible thing.

 

**Jumin Han:** Elizabeth 3rd, RFA, and my father

**Jumin Han:** These three are different. These are important to me.

**MC:** So since I’m a member of the RFA… I’m important too?

**Jumin Han:** You can put it that way.

**Jumin Han:** Since you are listening to me talking like this

**Jumin Han:** let’s say you are a bit special to me.

 

Family, to Jumin, would never betray you. Even when mistakes are made, family stayed by your side. I… wish I believed that. Maybe I was more broken than Jumin, not naïve enough to think every family was loyal and blissful. Seo-Yeon, a person so close to me, someone who stuck by my side through everything, was born into a family who didn’t want her. Abandoned and tossed away for an orphanage to deal with, she was lucky enough to be adopted into a new family that loved her.

One thing was for certain: family didn’t have to be by blood. The family you made through emotional connections with your own hands; that family will never betray you. I was sure of it.

After a long talk, Jumin left to organize his thoughts. I promised to be there if he wanted to talk, which seemed to surprise him. He thanked me for listening before logging out. I checked the time. I needed to quickly reply to some emails and shove dinner into my mouth. Ye-Jun would be here soon.

I was all right for now. And I trusted Seo-Yeon to catch me if I fell.

I trusted my soul mates.

If I didn’t need to be strong for myself, I’ll be strong for them.


	12. 707 Crises

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day Six
> 
> "He was dangerous; he was going to get her hurt. He was going to hurt her."

Luciel typed away at his computer quickly, shouting in victory as he pressed enter. The new tripter bot sent its latest tript: Mi-Yeon live on Radio Talk Show!

…

God… he should be tracking the hacker.

He should be doing his work for the agency.

They were going to lock him in a room again. Maybe worse.

No matter what he did, he couldn’t focus. He wanted to listen to the radio show. He wanted to constantly be online on the RFA messenger, just to catch the chance of Mi-Yeon being on during the break. He wanted to perfect his new tripter bot.

… He wanted to bang his head on the table.

In an effort to do _something,_ Luciel logged into the chat room.

 

**ZEN:** …

**ZEN:** Zen, the most perfect looking human in this world, has come here to invite the princess, MC, to his humble abode.

**707:** Instead, he found an old diary.

**ZEN:** Finding the initials JMH on the cover, he opens it.

**707:** And he finds the diary of a boy full of emotions.

**ZEN:** The words were all blurry

**707:** due to the tears he shed.

**ZEN:** It was so very touching.

**707:** lol

**ZEN:** lolol

**707:** Jumin got srsly sentimental today…

**707:** I can’t lose this chance to make fun of him!!! +_+

**ZEN:** We’re a good duo.

**ZEN:** I almost want to do a high-five, lol.

**707:** Jumin told us not to laugh at him

**707:** but I feel like we did T_T

**ZEN:** We weren’t laughing at him. We’re teasing him.

**707:** Well, same thing lol

**ZEN:** Ahhh~ but I want to see MC~

**ZEN:** If someone comes to visit me, I want it to be MC.

**ZEN:** She’s not on…

**ZEN:** I wonder what she’s doing?

**707:** You should turn on the radio.

**ZEN:** Radio? Why…?

**707:** Mi-Yeon is on a radio show right now.

**ZEN:** … You’re really promoting…to me?

**707:** You can stream it online~

**ZEN:** …

**ZEN:** Well… fine. I’ll tune into it, if only to get the ratings a little higher for your friend.

**ZEN:** … Anyways, it’s surprising;;;

**707:** Ya.

**ZEN:** Guess that dude has emotions too~

**707:** Ya.

**707:** I mean, I shouldn’t say this

**707:** after making fun of him

**707:** lol

**707:** But seeing Jumin act like that,

**707:** I feel

**707:** a bit worried T_T

**ZEN:** I wonder when he’ll go there tonight…

**707:** So you can go to bed at the same time and meet him in your dreams~?

**ZEN:** NO!

 

Zen promptly logged out as quickly as lightning after that. Luciel let out a loud laugh while biting his bottom lip in an attempt to stop. His soul mates were fun.

He wished he could stay with them.

He wished he deserved to stay with them.

Luciel let out a sigh, his giddiness rapidly evaporating. He should listen in on the radio show, too. Zen was right, if nothing else, the ratings will go up the more people tuned in. He fiddled with one of his spare desktops, increasing the volume until it was nearly loud enough to echo inside his home.

 

_“Hello! It’s YeonYeon’s Mi-Yeon here today.”_

_“Wow! Even your speaking voice sounds like a song.”_

Mi-Yeon’s soft laughter sounded like wind chimes ringing with the breeze. Luciel dropped his head to his desk. What was he thinking…?

This was a problem.

Zen clearly liked the girl. He even admitted to Luciel and Yoosung in private that he believed MC could be their sixth soul mate. He thought it would be rather romantic to meet all of the their soul mates in the RFA.

Yoosung, too.

Even Jumin seemed rather fond of K-Pop idol, Mi-Yeon. Or rather, new RFA guest coordinator, MC. Luciel doubted Jumin had even heard of YeonYeon before.

Jaehee… liked her until Zen wanted to see the new girl. Jealousy was real potent emotion.

He had many problems.

Mi-Yeon Cho was definitely many of them.

He wanted to do more for her. He _needed_ to do more than just watch out for her through CCTV cameras. He tried calling V who knows how many times by now. The photographer didn’t seem to have any service wherever he went. Luciel sighed, leaning back in his chair to stare up at the ceiling.

The radio DJ asked Mi-Yeon various things about their new album, including her favorite song. She answered with one of their ballad songs. He admitted it was a rather pretty song, very much to Mi-Yeon’s taste.

 

_“Why don’t you sing it live for everyone right now?”_

_“Well, I don’t mind.”_

Luciel chuckled breathily at Mi-Yeon’s slightly surprised, but otherwise cheerful reply. She reminded the audience that it would sound different because she’s singing the whole song solo, but she’ll do her best. Honestly, with or without Seo-Yeon, Mi-Yeon’s gentle voice for this ballad was really soothing.

Maybe she really was their soul mate. As good as her voice and skill was, it wasn’t normal to feel so… content? Obsessed might be the better word. Listening to her voice in an otherwise quiet room allowed him to fall deep into his thoughts.

Jumin must be drowning… Zen might be too. Jaehee was drowning in stress and worry, but he wasn’t sure if she was emotionally distressed enough to get caught in the current. Now that he thought about it, if Mi-Yeon really was their sixth soul mate, she went under pretty recently, too. Or maybe she was the one who has been incessantly submerged for as long as he could remember.

Hm… Mi-Yeon didn’t seem so unsound. Luciel was sure she had her bad days, no one was perfect, but she never acted like going through the motions everyday was truly so dreadful. Mi-Yeon was endlessly kind and selfless. Her voice was soft and soothing, not like those who have such gratingly squeaky voices. She was playful, but not overbearingly so, unlike 707. Generous. A hard worker. Talented. A bit naïve – she got phished into returning a nonexistent phone. Definitely an innocent romantic if past interviews were anything to go by.

Beautiful inside and out.

She was exemplary. He didn’t know many of her flaws, but he was sure they didn’t take away from her stunning soul.

…

He had 707 crises.

A majority of them were resulted from just two people.

He turned his head to the side, his cheek squishing against the backrest of his chair. Meowy sat quietly on the floor, its’ program turned off for the moment. Luciel was so deep in love with a girl he never met in person. A girl he will never be worthy of. He made a damned robot for her. A gift, something she could pass the time with. A plaything to remind her of him…

He did not deserve to even sit in her gentle presence. He did not deserve it with the others either. He shouldn’t have gotten close to them…

Luciel knew from the start, and yet he let his guard down for a split second – which was long enough for Yoosung to worm his way in just a little. Luciel wanted to know more about them. He looked forward to talking to them, to seeing them. God… What was he doing?

Someone up there must laughing at him.

…Wait… He sat up to look around. Hm… He really thought he heard laughter. No one else was in the house though. Cautiously, he checked the security cameras he had around. Nothing. No one. Must be his imagination then… Luciel leaned his head back on the chair, Mi-Yeon’s voice lulling him into a semiconscious state once more.

Before he knew it, time flew by and the radio show was coming to a close. He jerked his head down, instantly becoming dizzy. He reached for his can of Ph.D. Pepper, feeling the sugary, carbonated liquid coat his throat.

The others said he should take better care of himself. Maybe he’ll beg Vanderwood to make something edible.

… Or not. He might get tasered – especially since his agency work wasn’t finished yet.

Zen only drank beer, and Jaehee only drank coffee. Jumin probably never touched soda in his life. Yoosung, on the other hand, was all for it. And he thought he read somewhere that Mi-Yeon wasn’t the biggest fan of carbonated drinks. He wondered what Saeran liked to drink…

He furiously shook his head.

Saeran was fine. Rika and V promised. He’s probably happily living somewhere, smiling like he did in those photographs.

Luciel licked his lips, drinking in every last drop while staring at his monitor. He got nothing done. No progress on the hacker, no work done for the agency. Nothing.

 

_“Take a double take, it’s YeonYeon~”_

Mi-Yeon recited their fan chant cheerfully before saying her name and bidding good night with the host DJ, simultaneously closing out the show with its’ customary catchphrase. It was late; he wondered if Mi-Yeon was going to the apartment. He noticed that she went earlier, so he hoped she wasn’t, no matter how much he wanted to just catch a glimpse of her on the security feed. He didn’t want to put her in more danger than she already was in.

He could get away with hacking into Mi-Yeon’s apartment building’s CCTV cameras…

No. No, no, no, no, no. He should stay away.

He was dangerous; he was going to get her hurt. _He_ was going to hurt her.

Luciel forcibly turned to the monitor he used to trace the hacker and got to work. Even though he said that, he moved his eyes to stare at the screen that was connected to the CCTV in Rika’s apartment. Good, Mi-Yeon didn’t go back. It was late and she earned a good rest today. He felt like growling at himself. Focus. Focus, damn it. The others needed to be safe. They didn’t know, but he intercepted a strange email that talked about something called Magenta and going to an everlasting party, a paradise.

He thought he was getting somewhere with the email when a notification tone rang from the RFA messenger on one of his cell phones a little over half an hour later. He was planning to ignore it, but the gnawing feeling that it was Mi-Yeon gouged at his concentration. Again.

Picking up the phone, Luciel found that it was indeed Mi-Yeon that logged into the chat room. He’ll just ask if she made it home safely.

 

**707:** MC…

**707:** Did you get home safely?

**MC:** Yes! You weren’t waiting up for me, were you? It’s passed eleven at night.

**707:** I took a nap today, it’s all right.

**MC:** Well… if you insist.

**MC:** But thanks for worrying about me, like you always do.

**MC:** (*⌒∇⌒*)

 

It was good she didn’t seem nervous about the hacker, but…

 

**707:** All the RFA members, including you…

**707:** must be careful.

**707:** Please… I hope no one gets hurt because I wasn’t good enough…

**MC:** … Did something happen?

 

Luciel felt his heart skip a beat, whether from affection or surprise, he didn’t know. Mi-Yeon seemed to see right through him, even over a screen. He needed to distance himself from her. From all of them. He needed to make them see the truth about him. Luciel Choi was no good for them. 707 EXTREME will bring them nothing but harm.

He must have stayed stunned in silence for too long because she continued on. She knew… She knew he didn’t want to tell her and let it go. All the more reason he needed them, especially her, to stay away.

 

**MC:** I know you’re trying so hard. There’s no way that the members will be harmed. Don’t worry.

**707:** That’s… That’s not always the case…

**707:** You can say that because you don’t know much about me.

**707:** MC… I don’t think I’ve told you much about myself.

**707:** What kind of work I do for the agency…

**707:** And dark things like that.

**707:** To be honest…

**707:** I wanted to show people in the RFA only my bright and fun side.

**707:** Because the work I do is nothing but dark and filthy.

**707:** I didn’t want to tell anyone about that.

**707:** But…

**707:** now that this is happening… I feel like I should talk about it a little

**707:** Because if anything happens… if anything bad happens because of me…

**707:** you… and the other members

**707:** will be in so much shock.

**MC:** Something bad? I hope that never happens.

**707:** Of course you’d feel that way.

**707:** It’s too late for me to turn back

**707:** My choices and…

**707:** My relationship with everyone here.

**707:** So…

**707:** I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you this sooner. Everyone…

**707:** The place I work for won’t think it’s weird if someone dies this next minute.

**707:** I’m so sorry… that you got involved with me

**707:** when that’s the world I live in…

**707:** It’s the only path I could choose, so I don’t want to whine about it.

**707:** But I want you to know this.

**707:** Nothing good will come out of you knowing me. I’m not a clean and bright person.

**707:** And since you and everyone else could be put in danger because of me

**707:** we need to keep our distance…

**MC:** We can’t even be friends?

**707:** I don’t know.

**707:** Did we ever have any kind of relationship?

**MC:** …Myself aside…

**MC:** What about the others? You’ve known them for a long time, haven’t you?

**707:** Everything is so pointless for me.

**707:** You know… I only tried to laugh as much as I can in this chat room, because of the dark place I’m really in.

**707:** I hope the members, and especially you, aren’t harmed because of me…

**707:** I’ll be more careful from now on.

**MC:** Seven, think about yourself too, not just me, not just the others.

**MC:** The more dangerous things are, we can rely on each other.

**MC:** Let’s stop being so sad.

**MC:** We’re here with you.

**707:** You are always so kind.

**707:** I wasn’t wrong.

**707:** You are such a good person.

**707:** You are so kind to everyone.

**707:** And… so honest… Your public image isn’t just for show, after all.

**707:** Even though you just found out about the RFA, you fell for my ridiculous threat, and told us you’d help…

**707:** If I had just let you go then…

**707:** told V that this isn’t right, convinced him to send you away… you could have just deleted this app

**707:** and be free…

**707:** But it’s already happened now, so all I can do is be more careful.

**MC:** I don’t regret getting to know you, Seven. Even if you do dangerous things.

**707:** You have more to think about than just yourself.

**707:** Please don’t think I’m such a good person.

**707:** Of course, I’ll take care of everything that’s already happened.

**707:** I’ll try harder for you because I involved you in all of this.

**707:** I’ll make sure you’re never in danger.

**707:** There’s something I have to do first… so things might go a bit slow.

**MC:** Seven… you’re talking about the agency, right? Are you really okay… working there?

**707:** Don’t worry about anything, MC ^^

**707:** I’ll just go back to the Seven I always was, and come back after everything’s finished.

**707:** I’m so sorry for being slow.

**707:** Please tell me if anything strange happens while I finish up my agency work.

**707:** All right, MC?

**MC:** I know you can’t talk about your work but,

**MC:** if things are hard, I’m here for you.

**MC:** I’m sure the others will say the same, no matter what is going on in their lives too.

**MC:** I haven’t known you all for long, but that’s just the feeling I get.

**707:** …

**707:** Promise me,

**707:** MC.

**MC:** Okay, don’t worry. I’ll be fine, I promise.

**707:** I really hope so…

**707:** ^^

**707:** I have to go now; I plan to finish the agency work in a blink of an eye.

**MC:** Don’t feel so much pressure, and just take care of everything one by one! Be careful, Seven.

**MC:** Thank you for protecting me.

**707:** I don’t deserve to be thanked

**707:** I should be the one to be sorry.

**707:** I’ll come back soon. Take care of yourself.

 

He logged out before she could say anything back. Maybe he shared too much. Maybe he was just being sentimental again because the sun receded to let the stars twinkle in the sky. No matter, the others will find out now. They’ll finally realize. He wasn’t worth saving.

There was only one thing he was absolutely certain of:

No matter how dirty his hands got or how much he sacrificed of himself, Saeyoung Choi would do anything to keep the people so priceless and important to him safe.


	13. Let Me Be Here For You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day Seven
> 
> "Was I supposed to be the messenger and I failed to deliver the messages?"

What was I going to do?...

I looked around cautiously. The cold ocean lapped at the shore, splashing against a pair of feet.

How did this happen? What happened?

All in one day?

Red sunk deeper, Dark Blue submerged, and Silver was caught against the coast. Light blue remained unresponsive, as usual, unfortunately. I felt worry well up in my heart. I looked at Green who standing beside me. They gently laid a hand on my shoulder, giving me a reassuring squeeze.

Everything will be all right.

Let’s be there for them.

With a nod, we walked towards the frigid water. Yellow was already fussing over Silver, troublingly glancing towards the deeper waters at the others. Stopping by Silver first, I gave them a reassuring touch. Here, we didn’t need words to speak. We felt exactly what the other wanted to say.

Thank you.

I’ll be fine if I know you’re with me.

Go to the others.

Before the three of us knew it, Silver became still. They either woke up or were dragged into a true dream. We studied each other as we silently agreed on a plan.

Green went to Red first, so I went to Dark Blue with Yellow.

Standing just beside the dark blue soul, I stuck my fingers into the ocean, feeling the icy temperature crawl up my arm. Stretching further, I felt my hand come in contact with what was supposed to be their shoulder.

As I rubbed their upper back a bit, feeling the chill splash against me, I thought about a strange coincidence. The RFA members had their chat bubbles outlined with a certain color. I always just figured that those were their favorite colors, but… unexpectedly… coincidentally… they matched the colors of my soul mates’ souls - five of them, at least.

You could only see a person’s soul color when you’re face to face. The RFA didn’t know mine, as it couldn’t be caught on camera either, and I didn’t know theirs. Well, Seven might know. Fans posted little facts like that all the time. Perhaps I was being too hopeful again, colors could be repeated, after all.

Well, when the time comes to meet them, I will know then.

 

Seo-Yeon and I woke up early. Really early. In accordance to what the new endorsement from the jewelry brand wanted in terms of color and style, the two of us went to get manicures and pedicures. After this we had a mid morning recording session for a music show, thus just when the nail salon opened was the only time available to us.

Wiping away the old polish, the nail professionals easily painted our nails to what Ye-Jun asked them to. The new style had to be simple so it didn’t outshine or takeaway from the jewelry. Ye-Jun left the two of us to our own devices while he went to the car to make a few phone calls. Seo-Yeon and I chatted pleasantly with the stylists. This was a popular, celebrity nail salon – seeing big shots was no big deal to them, and they were professional, after all. This also wasn’t our first time at this particular salon.

As I waited for one hand to get painted, I fiddled with my phone in the other. Things were… odd in the RFA chat room today. Other than Seven’s slight verbal attack on me yesterday, the others weren’t acting like themselves either. Late last night, Zen logged in, panicking about seeing Jumin’s cat in his dreams. But why would Elizabeth the 3rd jump out of an unfamiliar car and run across the sidewalk?

Now, even though Jumin was saying he didn’t believe in psychic dreams, he seemed a little high-strung in the chat room. Jaehee and I tried to calm him down, but to little avail. Soon, Jumin left without saying anything about where he was going or what he was planning to do. I hope he wasn’t doing anything drastic.

I felt bad for Jaehee. It was unlikely that Jumin was headed towards the office, so she had to manage on her own again. She even admitted to me that Glam and Sarah visited her apartment last night, asking some personal questions. That was strange. Or maybe it wasn’t if the two women were really scheming something. Poor Jaehee really couldn’t catch a break. I reminded her that she should take care of herself too. Thanking me for my sympathy, she departed to deal with the repercussions. Jaehee must truly be under a lot of stress. She forgot about that wall she put in between the others and me in an attempt to protect Zen. I was glad and worried simultaneously.

Seo-Yeon and I finished right on time. Thanking the nail professionals earnestly, the two of us met Ye-Jun at the car. We had just under half an hour to make it to the filming set of the music show. I stayed logged into the RFA chat room this whole time without even realizing it. I looked down at the device in my hands as I felt it vibrate incessantly.

Zen was worrying about whether or not he should have said anything about the dream. It wasn’t his fault; all he did was talk about a strange dream. I don’t know whether Zen really did have psychic dreams or not, but the future will always be a mystery until it became the present, no matter how much of it is predicted. Our conversation about the future prompted Zen into admitting he talked to his director. He fibbed about his condition, only saying he was unwell rather than having a serious physical injury.

I knew… I knew it was hard to give up opportunities like this, especially when you were still struggling at the bottom, but nothing good can come out of lying. It’s disappointing. Opportunities that were just within reach suddenly snatched away, YeonYeon faced many as well. I told him, truthfully, from experience, all he needed to do was believe in himself and work hard the next day. More chances will present themselves in time. Everyone in the RFA thought so too. Zen was talented, he had a pretty face, and was a hard worker; all he needed was the confidence to step forward.

The moment YeonYeon made it to the filming set, the customary controlled chaos ensued. We were rushed into the back where the dressing rooms were. Going into the one with our name on the door, Seo-Yeon and I changed into today’s stage outfit. As we got our make up and hair done, Ye-Jun reminded us that it wasn’t our title track we were preforming today, but the EDM song. Humming our understanding, we tried to sit as still as possible.

With a few minutes until we had to be by the interview section, I checked in with the RFA again just in case. Oh, Seven was online. I felt both anxious and elated. I wanted to talk to him, to see if he was all right, but… would we just have the same back and forth? Even if we did, I had to know if what he said was true.

In the end, he seemed to be back to his cheerful persona. Everything was true, and he reminded me that the others and I should keep our distance. He changed the subject quickly, so I suppose I could play along. I didn’t want to bother him; I didn’t want him to think I was just a meddlesome person.

Just let me be here for you.

One thing stood out above all else, Seven had a lot on his plate. I asked if there was anything we can do to help, but, as expected, he declined the offer. Seven left quickly when his maid, Ms. Vanderwood, arrived at his home.

…Huh? He can’t be here when she’s with him?

I couldn’t ponder the peculiar thought any further. It was time to wait by the interview section. Making our way to the area, we motioned a good luck to the boy group that just finished their interview and were preparing to go up on stage. The emcees of the show introduced the next song before coming back to where we were. With Seo-Yeon as YeonYeon’s official leader, and more enthusiastically talkative than I was, she was our main spokesperson. The interview was short and sweet, allowing us a little time to go greet some of our friends or familiar faces who were promoting at the same time we were.

By the time we were done playing with our friends, talking with acquaintances to keep professional relationships strong, and performing on stage, it was already past noon. We still had to do the closing ceremony with everyone before filming was finally finished up. Seo-Yeon and I quickly went to back to our dressing room to get our hair and makeup perfected again – especially after performing our highest energy song.

“Mi-Yeon, your phone is off the radar today.” One of our hair stylists complained in a huff, though they weren’t truly angry, just being overdramatic. “Its been ringing nonstop, we had to take it off vibrate and put it on silent.”

“I’m sorry.” I apologized gravely, taking the offending device from their hand. I checked the logs. Between 10:45AM and now, Seven called constantly, almost every five minutes. And one call from Zen. What in the world?

“Sit, sit, sit, before you call them back.” The hair stylist urged, patting a seat. I did as I was told while dialing Seven’s number. He answered before the first ring was even over.

_“Mi-Yeon!”_ Seven shouted.

“What is it?” I replied back in surprise. “Why do you sound so panicked?”

_“Tell me you’re not on your way to Rika’s apartment.”_

“I’m not on my way…” I said slowly, moving my phone to the other ear as my stylists worked on my right side.

_“Thank god.”_ I waited patiently for him to continue. _“Don’t go there today, don’t even plan to. Okay?”_

“Why? I didn’t really get a chance to do too much work yesterday.”

_“I…”_ Seven trailed off, pausing for a moment. _“The special security system was hacked into.”_

“Special security system? What’s that?” Music from the final group’s performance resonated through the walls.

_“Oh… Are you at work, right now? Of course you’re at work, what am I saying?”_ I called his name softly to calm him down. _“I don’t want to fluster you. It’s just something Rika had put in place to protect the information. Lets RFA members in and keeps anyone else out. Um… I don’t want you to get caught in case Unknown hacked it to gain access to the interior. So please, don’t go there. Don’t go until I restore it.”_

“All right. I won’t go until you give the okay.” I reassured. I saw Ye-Jun giving me a signal. “I’m sorry, I have to go.”

_“Just remember not to go, okay?”_

“Don’t worry. And don’t work too hard, remember to take breaks.”

It was after one in the afternoon when we left the filming studio. Ye-Jun chauffeured us back home to wash away the dried sweat and makeup and hair products. Seo-Yeon and I took a few rice balls we had in the fridge and refilled our water bottles before we hurried back downstairs. Ye-Jun always seemed to be checking something on his phone and laptop while he waited for us.

Our next destination was our new endorsement brand’s company building. I suddenly remembered that Zen called earlier in the midst of Seven’s barrage. I swallowed the bite I took out of my rice ball while dialing his number.

_“Babe! Is it a good time to talk?”_ Zen greeted.

“Of course. Sorry I couldn’t answer earlier.”

_“You were probably busy with school or work or something. I get it.”_ He waved off. _“But… you know… uhm… I went to get fish shaped buns earlier and something strange happened. I can’t tell you the details… but I think things will go well. It did feel really strange… but the show is important.”_

“What are you talking about?” I asked. The show was important? I knew that but… what about his leg? What did he do?

_“Huh? To be honest… another girl came to my house, I mean, so, uhm, god! How can I put this? You can’t take this the wrong way, okay?”_ Even if he said that, my heart still thumped painfully. I stayed silent, waiting. _“I’m sorry I’m all over the place. I’ll organize everything that happened and tell everyone on the messenger. Let’s talk about this later and talk about something else. We never have enough time to talk. What should we talk about? Oh, right. Honey, do you like fish shaped buns?”_

I was disappointed that he didn’t continue his story, but I laughed breathily at the mention of that particular food. That’s what I bought just before meeting them. “Yes, I like them.”

_“This man sells really good fish shaped buns in front of my house. Let’s get it together sometime. We can eat together, watch movies together, walk together… Just thinking about it makes me happy. To be honest, whatever we eat or do, if you’re there with me, it’ll be heaven.”_

He… He was already planning a date. “D-Do you call everyone by those nicknames?” I asked, in an attempt to change the subject.

_“Hm? Oh you mean ‘honey’ and ‘babe’?”_ He said cheerful with a hint of laughter. _“No, just my soul mates.”_ I felt myself nearly choke on the rice ball I just nibbled at. _“Huh? I’m getting a call. Oh… this is important. I have to take it. See you in the messenger soon, okay? Then bye!”_

He hung up before I could get another word out. I reached for my water bottle, covering any coughs that threatened to tear out of my throat.

“Are you okay?” Seo-Yeon asked worriedly.

“Fine.” I huffed, my chest feeling lighter after getting rid of the pressure from almost swallowing food in the wrong pipe.

Nearly an hour into driving, we were finally at our destination. We had a long photo shoot ahead of us, plus the filming of a commercial. Ye-Jun said the theme they were using with YeonYeon was ‘Princess.’

With a new fashion season approaching, the company created various new styles for almost all of their individual collections. Of course, Seo-Yeon was in charge of being the fiery, passionate princess. She modeled a collection that was bold and lively. The collection was adorned with gems and metals of different colors. On the other hand, I, as the icy, graceful princess, was modeling a collection that was simple and elegant. This collection was mostly diamonds and pearls with sleek metal to compliment them; some pieces had color in them, which easily popped out against the rest of the piece.

While Seo-Yeon did her individual shoots, I logged into the chat room again.

Ah! Jumin was back.

 

**MC:** Jumin! You’re okay, right?

**Jumin Han:** Of course.

**Jumin Han:** I always have bodyguards with me.

**Jaehee Kang:** I don’t think that’s what she meant…

**Jumin Han:** I do appreciate you for asking, however.

**Jaehee Kang:** Mr. Han, you’ve been ignoring my calls since last night.

**Jaehee Kang:** (´-﹏-`；)

**Jaehee Kang:** Even Zen is worrying about your whereabouts.

**Jaehee Kang:** WHERE DID YOU GO?

**MC:** Jumin is having a hard time…

**MC:** I hope you can rely on us. Let us be here for you.

**Jumin Han:** MC…

**Jumin Han:** Yes, I will remember that.

**Jumin Han:** Thank you.

**Jaehee Kang:** (*ﾟﾛﾟ)

**Jumin Han:** Truthfully, I still need to take care of something.

**Jumin Han:** I only came here to say one thing:

**Jumin Han:** I don’t like how Zen’s telling everyone in this chat room that he is depressed.

**Jaehee Kang:** I think Zen is in such low spirits.

**Jumin Han:** I hope he stops spending his time moping in misery.

**Jumin Han:** He should only waste his energy on emotions for those important to him.

Where was Jumin going with this? And I just called Zen, he seemed to have good news to share. In the conversations I missed, it didn’t seem like Zen mentioned whatever it was yet. Assuming nothing has changed, it was easy to think Zen was still sulking. However… I’m worried about what that ‘strange’ thing he mentioned was. I hope he didn’t lower himself to regain that role… I know fame was difficult to obtain, but it wasn’t worth sacrificing something or someone you needed.

 

**Jumin Han:** He will feel better if I send MC to his house.

**Jaehee Kang:** That’s…

**Jumin Han:** Assistant Kang.

**Jaehee Kang:** Yes?

**Jumin Han:** Do you wish for Zen to cheer up soon?

**Jaehee Kang:** Of course.

**Jumin Han:** Then…

**Jumin Han:** Because it seems like Zen is attached to MC too…

**Jumin Han:** I shall send MC to Zen’s house.

**Jaehee Kang:** How can you send her when you don’t even know where she is?

**Jaehee Kang:** The address to Rika’s apartment is classified information.

 

I almost choked again at Jumin’s suggestion. Besides that, was there no communication between the members today? Or was I supposed to be the messenger and I failed to deliver the messages? Zen was dealing with his strange whatever it was, Jaehee was stuck at the office, Jumin went MIA until just now, and Seven is MIA trying to fix whatever the heck the special security system was.

Where was Yoosung? Was he really attending school? Out of all days to be a good student!

 

**Jumin Han:** I can have her go to another place at a certain time and send one of my limos there.

**Jumin Han:** Rika’s apartment is bound to be in the city.

**Jaehee Kang:** Mr. Han…

**Jaehee Kang:** Sending MC directly to Zen…

**Jaehee Kang:** I understand you’re under a lot of pressure…

**Jaehee Kang:** But please think about his position.

**Jumin Han:** Send Driver Kim.

**Jumin Han:** I will not be leaving my penthouse for the time being.

**Jumin Han:** In return for letting you meet him, MC, you have to stop him from drowning.

**MC:** I will try my best.

**Jumin Han:** If you go yourself, he might listen to you.

**Jaehee Kang:** …Then

**Jaehee Kang:** Why don’t I go myself and try convincing him?

**Jumin Han:** I need you.

**Jumin Han:** It’s essential to increase our productivity.

**Jumin Han:** With that ridiculous article being distributed in public, our stock prices are already falling.

**Jaehee Kang:** You should have come to the office, then.

**MC:** Please don’t argue. I don’t want to be the reason.

**MC:** Jaehee, if you don’t want me to go, I won’t. I respect your feelings and your bonds.

**MC:** However, I don’t want you two to be any more strained than you already are.

**MC:** If there is something I can do to help,

**MC:** Please let me.

**Jumin Han:** Zen wanted to see MC, it’ll be more effective to send her.

**Jaehee Kang:** …

**Jumin Han:** It’s just a short visit. The security guard will tag along so no one will suspect as much as you worried, Assistant Kang.

**MC:** Jaehee, you don’t have to worry. Nothing bad will happen.

**Jaehee Kang:** … You can never know for sure.

**Jaehee Kang:** Mr. Han.

**Jumin Han:** I must go. Elizabeth the 3rd is crying.

_Jumin Han has left the chatroom._

**Jaehee Kang:** God… I think this is absolutely a bad idea…

**Jaehee Kang:** I feel quite complicated at the moment.

**Jaehee Kang:** But I can’t help but worry for Zen.

**Jaehee Kang:** MC,

**Jaehee Kang:** please protect him.

**Jaehee Kang:** Many fans are watching.

**MC:** Don’t worry. I won’t do anything to harm him.

**MC:** Even if fans are watching, or something happens, I can handle it with no consequence to Zen.

**Jaehee Kang:** I’m not sure what you mean by that but… hearing you say that makes me feel more relieved.

**Jaehee Kang:** When you are ready, call me. I will send a limo to the 73 building.

**Jaehee Kang:** A car will be waiting until you arriving.

**MC:** Thank you, Jaehee.

**Jaehee Kang:** Please be careful…

**Jaehee Kang;** And please tell Zen I said hello…

**Jaehee Kang:** Then please excuse me.

_Jaehee Kang has left the chatroom._

I felt terrible for invoking such horrendous feelings in Jaehee. She was Zen’s soul mate. I wasn’t absolutely certain, but it seemed that way. I silently promised to her and to myself, if Zen isn’t mine as well, I will never look at him in the same way she does.

Jumin didn’t seem to care about himself. It was enough for him that Zen was going to get better. There has to be something I could do for all of them, if not because they were my soul mates, then because they were my precious friends. First things first, this photo and filming shoot needed my attention.

Then it was off to meet Zen.


	14. As Long As We're Together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day Seven
> 
> “I’m putting this kid to work so I can save my own butt.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Haha~ You guys might not like this chapter, but personally, I really do.

He sighed, twiddling with his pencil in between his fingers. His professor kept talking and talking. He felt the words going through one ear and out the other. He sighed again. This was class, after all. If the teacher wasn’t talking, he doubted this place would be part of the education system.

He tried, really, he did. He wanted to be a good student. He wanted MC to see him as someone capable, someone she can rely on. Well… as long as she really turned out to be their sixth soul mate. He hoped Zen was right and wasn’t just being overly romantic again. He really did like her… If she turned out not to be… he wasn’t sure what he was going to do.

Looking up at the clock situated in the front of the room, he wanted to sigh for a third time. Time was moving too slow. He was too distracted. It wasn’t even LOLOL that he was thinking of! Though there was that cool armor that just came out…

Yoosung shook his head, drawing the attention of the student sitting at the desk next to his. He gave his peer an apologetic look before facing forward. No, it wasn’t LOLOL taking up his thoughts. It was Jumin, acting like he had to take on the world by himself. It was Jaehee, working more than usual. It was Zen, hurting himself and relying on cigarettes. It was Seven… who antagonized MC saying she had forgotten that there are other people to take into consideration in her life. It was Seven, finally speaking some of the truth about his situation. It was Seven, acting like nothing happened the next day.

It was MC, who was trying her best at a job that she was unfamiliar with, with people she was unfamiliar with, only to get thrown into all of this… emotional misery.

Yoosung grit his teeth together.

There had to be something he could do.

He was their soul mate! There had to be something…

The rest of the day was spent on autopilot. Going from one class to the next, and then stopping by at his most current club. The moment he made it home, he sat on his bed, falling to his back and letting his feet rest on the floor. Absently, he took out his phone and situated it above his eyes.

MC only popped in every once in a while, going MIA for long periods at a time. Zen seemed to be in a similar situation. Jumin disappeared early in the morning, same with Seven. And Jaehee was coming in to check if Jumin came back, to no avail.

His eyes scanned the missed chats between the members. Yoosung felt his eyes widen. Jumin was sending MC to Zen’s place?! Well, he could agree that Zen really did want to see her… He did, too. Shoving away his jealousy, Yoosung hoped the visit would cheer Zen up enough to get out of the water. His phone vibrated in his hand, making a cute sound.

 

_From Jumin: I’m sending a car to you within the hour. The driver will take you to Luciel._

The phone slipped from his grasp. Yoosung yelped when the corner shoved into his cheekbone, gravity finishing its performance by splatting the screen across his eye and forehead.

Ow…

 

_To Jumin: ... What about you?_

_From Jumin: I’m fine._

Yoosung bit the inside of his cheek. Liar. Jumin didn’t seem to want to reply after that. One at a time, he supposed. Seven first, and then maybe he’d ask the driver to come back to take him to Jumin’s. Or maybe he’d spend the night on Seven’s couch. Seven said he had a lot of work to do and Yoosung wanted to stay by his side the whole time. Maybe he’ll call Jaehee to go… but she seemed mad that Jumin sent MC to Zen…

Jumin liked MC, too, didn’t he? Then sending her to Zen first… Jumin must feel the same way he did. Envious, but…

God… today was such a mess. No, it was the whole week that got turned upside down. Rika would know what to do… Rika…

…Wasn’t here.

He only had himself. The silence in his room seemed almost too loud. Alone. Solitary. By himself. Feeling the uncomfortable pressure behind his eyes, Yoosung blinked away the liquid rapidly.

Please… Rika… help. Guide him; tell him what to do, what the right path was supposed to be. Ask fate to send someone… anyone. The pressure travelled down his throat the more he held back his emotions. He tried. He tried for so long. Tried so hard. Yoosung still couldn’t figure anything out.

He couldn’t do this alone anymore.

Heh… he was a pathetic soul mate…

Clearing his throat a few times to get rid of the sore feeling, Yoosung slowly sat up. There was one thing he could do, take up Jumin’s offer and go to Seven. He moved around his room mindlessly, loading up his backpack with comfortable clothes to sleep in and some toiletries. Seven probably didn’t have any decent food, and it was getting close to dinnertime. Making his way to his kitchen, he took some of his fresh ingredients, a jar of kimchi his mother left him, and a baggy of uncooked rice and shoved them in a spare plastic bag he kept from the grocery store.

From his window, he saw a limo roll up to the front of his building. Moving less like a zombie, Yoosung hurriedly gathered up his stuff and went down to meet the driver. The trip to Seven’s home was quiet. Yoosung noticed that it wasn’t Driver Kim who got him. Maybe Driver Kim was with Jumin? Was Jumin going somewhere again? He hoped he didn’t do anything irrational.

Or maybe Driver Kim was sent to get MC?

Well, wherever Jumin had the driver working, Yoosung hoped he treated his precious cargo with care.

As they rolled up to Seven’s home, Yoosung prepared himself for Seven’s special gate. The driver told him that they were only instructed to bring him here and to call Mr. Han directly for any further service. Thanking the employee, Yoosung hastily got out.

First, he tried the doorbell. Nothing. Doorbell, second attempt. Nothing. The gate started talking, asking him questions. When Yoosung couldn’t answer them right away, the gate switched to asking him to say phrases in Arabic. Uh… he should invest in a Korean-Arabic dictionary.

Well, at least the gate wasn’t threatening to blow up this time. He tried the doorbell again.

Pounding his fists onto the very solid surface it was then.

“Seven!” He yelled. “It’s me! Open the door!” Yoosung paused for a moment to allow his throbbing hand a break. KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK. “Seven!”

Five minutes later, his throat felt like he swallowed fire and the side of his hand was all red. Puffing up his cheeks, Yoosung kicked the door.

“Warning. Warning. Don’t kick me. I will explode.” The security device advised.

Yoosung swallowed a nervous lump. Suddenly the door was thrown open.

“Vanderwood! What?! You forget your dictionary? You should’ve learned Arabic by now!” Seven shouted before stopping in his tracks, his eyes widening. “What… Why are you here?”

Yoosung laughed nervously, putting his hands behind his back innocently. “You promised me a box of Honey Buddha Chips, remember? Jeez, do you have music playing or something? I’ve been screaming my lungs out here.”

“… I guess I did.” Seven said slowly while looking around. “Come in and take a box, then go back home, Yoosung.”

“Can’t I stay? My place is far from yours.” Yoosung whined pitifully as he got pulled into the bunker. “And isn’t Vanderwood your maid? They’re coming here at this time of day?”

“Forget it, just… here.” Seven huffed, shoving a decorated box into Yoosung’s arms. “Go home.”

“But-“

“707, did you finish yet?” An irritated voice echoed in the bunker, the door opening again.

Yoosung heard Seven swear under his breath.

“Ms. Vanderwood! You’re back!” Seven cheered, forcing Yoosung behind his back. Seven put his hands together like a prayer. “Sorry~”

Vanderwood huffed out a frustrated breath. “You remember what happened to that team that was one second late, right? Our client isn’t forgiving.” They turned their eyes to the blonde. “You’re from that group, aren’t you?”

“He was just leaving.” Seven interrupted.

“I kept your little charity gig a secret,” Vanderwood reminded, walking towards them. Vanderwood took Yoosung’s wrist, making the student make a nonsensical noise in surprise. “Now you owe me.”

“Hey,” Seven scowled, taking hold of Vanderwood’s wrist in turn and squeezing. “Let him go.”

“What? You think I’m going to use my taser on him and put him in the trunk of one of your cars?” Vanderwood said rhetorically. “I’m putting this kid to work so I can save my own ass.”

“Work?” Yoosung asked, dropping the bag of food and box of Honey Buddha Chips on the couch as he was tugged passed it. “I don’t know where the cleaning supplies are.”

“Cleaning supplies?” Vanderwood growled under his breath. This was Agent 707’s doing, no doubt. He pushed open the door to a room full of monitors.

“I-I-I don’t know how to hack either.” Yoosung stuttered.

“As if I would even let you anywhere near that.” Vanderwood said angrily. “You’ll get us all killed.” The older man pushed Yoosung into a chair, the blond grunted at the impact. Seven, who was following closely, hurriedly checked Yoosung over. “Sit and stare at that monitor.”

“Huh?” Yoosung asked intelligently. Turning his eyes to the pointed object, Yoosung was face to face with someone’s room.

“He’s been too distracted by that thing all day to get any of his shit done.” Vanderwood said in exasperation. “707, finish this shit already or I swear…” He left the threat hanging. “I’m not leaving until you do, so do both of us a favor. I don’t want to spend another minute in this disaster you call a home.”

“Then why don’t you clean it again?” Seven suggested; his big grin plastered on his face once more. Vanderwood left in a huff, closing the door to the room. The minute the fashionista left, Seven’s shoulders relaxed. “Did he hurt you?”

“No, I’m fine.” Yoosung replied, letting Seven inspect his wrist. He put his backpack down on the floor. “You should do your agency work, I don’t want you to get into anything dangerous.”

Seven didn’t reply right away. He just pulled up another chair and sat down next to each other, staring at the monitor just to the left of Yoosung. “I guess you’re right…” Seven worriedly glanced at the room on the screen.

“What is this place?” Yoosung asked, shifting to get comfortable. “You seem really worried.”

“… Rika’s apartment.” Seven admitted softly, avoiding the blonde’s eyes. He turned on the monitor he used for his hacking assignments.

“This is?!” Yoosung gasped, leaning forward and nearly shoving his nose into the screen.

“Just tell me if anyone goes in.” Seven instructed, keeping his eyes on his own monitor. “Especially if it’s Mi-Yeon. I’m really going to give her a piece of my mind if she does when I told her not to.”

“Who’s Mi-…” Yoosung trailed off as he looked up. The corner of his sight caught the reflective surface of a photograph. With the photograph were various autographed goods. “Yeon… Why would…?” His mind worked faster than it ever had. Mi-Yeon. Mi-Yeon Cho. Cho. Seven’s sudden obsession with YeonYeon. Mi-Yeon. Cho. MYC. MC. MC… “Uh-uhm…”

Seven froze for just a second; finally turning to watch Yoosung stare at the pile of items he set to the side. His next words came out slow, “Mi-Yeon Cho. Singer, model, pianist, student, and RFA guest coordinator.”

“Ehhhhhh?!” Yoosung yelled, standing up from the shock.

“Anyone at all step foot in Rika’s apartment, tell me.” Seven reminded, turning to his work. The quicker he could get his agency work done, the quicker he can get back to restoring the special security system. And… Yoosung looked like he could use some time to digest everything.

Eventually, Yoosung sat back down, softly asking, “Why can’t she go there? Isn’t the computer in there the only one that can receive the emails and send them to MC – I-I mean, Mi-Yeon?”

Seven paused his rapid typing for a brief moment. He shouldn’t keep this to himself anymore. “The special security system was hacked. I set it so it doesn’t activate if one of the members go, but… I think someone changed that.”

“It’s the opposite now?” Yoosung said softly. “What is it? A really loud alarm?”

“That’s… Uhm.” Seven stopped typing completely, but he couldn’t look Yoosung in the eye. “It just… makes the sound boom… Is what I wish I could say but… It’ll blow up the whole building in five seconds.”

“Oh my god!” Yoosung jumped out of his seat again. Seven turned to face him with the expression of a scolded child. “And you just let-! Does she even know?!”

“I told her, over and over, not to go in there today, but she doesn’t know what it is specifically.”

“Why didn’t you tell _us_?” Yoosung said in defeat, dropping into the chair.

“It’ll make everyone anxious.” Seven replied, but he, too, didn’t really believe his excuse.

“Does V know? Does he know it got hacked?”

“I haven’t been able to reach him all day.” Seven sighed in frustration.

“As expected,” Yoosung sneered.

“I think he’s abroad somewhere with no Internet signal.” Yoosung wasn’t buying it. “God, my brain feels like it’s going to freeze right now.” Seven put his head in his hands.

Yoosung calmed down. He couldn’t believe V wasn’t here when this was happening. V is being so irresponsible! And putting a girl in danger like this! Was the information about the parties really that important? Was there something else in there? But seeing Seven so distraught… “I don’t think you have to worry about Mi-Yeon. I guess you don’t know because you haven’t been in the chat today, but Jumin sent her to Zen.”

“Zen?” Seven muttered, something clicking in his mind. “Like he sent you here? To check up on us?”

“Well… I wanted to come anyways.” Yoosung whispered almost inaudibly.

“Ehhh~ worried about me?” Seven teased, going back to his work.

“Of course,” Yoosung huffed, turning away to stare at the screen again.

It was silent after that; only the sound of clicking keys accompanied them. Nothing was going on in the apartment; naturally, Yoosung got distracted. He glanced at Seven briefly before reaching towards the pile of YeonYeon goods. He absently flipped through the photo book. Mi-Yeon really was really, really pretty. Seo-Yeon was beautiful, too, of course, but… well… Yoosung felt his cheeks flush.

He fell in love with a girl he never met. A girl he didn’t know anything about. However, Yoosung wants to think he knows her personality. Her soul.

“Hey, Seven?” Yoosung whispered. He got a grunt as a response. “Do you think someone like MC… Mi-Yeon… is our soul mate?”

“Do you want her to be?”

“Yeah. I think I do.”

Seven took a quick glimpse at his companion. “I think she might be.” Yoosung gave him such a sweet smile, Seven felt his heart skip a beat.

“Can I listen to this?” The blonde asked, opening up one of the YeonYeon albums. Seven wordlessly picked up one of his many cell phones without even looking. The hacker unlocked it and slid it across.

“It’s already on it.” Seven said absently, mesmerized by the algorithms scrolling across his screen. Yoosung dug around in his backpack, taking out ear buds. He pulled out the wire that connected to Seven’s headphones and plugged his in instead. Putting one in his left ear, he shoved the other one in Seven’s right one. “Can you not stay still for five seconds?”

“You’re really saying that to me?” Yoosung asked dryly “Hypocrite.”

Seven snorted in amusement, his concentration back on his work.

Yoosung tapped his foot with the beat. Occasionally, he looked up at the monitor he was supposed to watch. He wanted to protect this girl, no matter what. Even though Seven only started obsessing over YeonYeon because he wanted to support the new member, their songs were pretty good. Not all of them were his cup of tea, but regardless, their voices sounded nice.

Hm… why did Seven keep it a secret? Yoosung glanced over, his eyes trailing down to Seven’s arm. The warm spot on his shoulder blade comforted him, soothed him all the way down to the deepest part of his being. Even if things were bad right now…

As long as they were together, they can overcome anything.

Yoosung gently lifted up the big sleeves of the redhead’s sweater, careful not to jostle the limb.

“What are you doing? You’re going to make me mess up, and that won’t be good for any of us.”

“You’re the best hacker in the world, this won’t bother you.” Yoosung said, trailing his fingers up Seven’s right forearm from his elbow. Oh! There it was – the warm spot where Yoosung’s crest resided. It felt nice against his fingers. They really were right next to each other.

“Touch your own.”

“That makes my arm tired.”

“Work out with Zen. Or Mi-Yeon for that matter, idols need to keep up their stamina.”

“I wouldn’t last five minutes…”

“Probably.” Seven said without hesitation. He turned to look at Yoosung’s pouting face. Stopping his work again, Seven reached over with his free hand and swiped across Yoosung’s cheek with a single finger. The blond hissed in surprise at the pain. “What happened here? Did a squirrel punch you in the face? Or do you have a secret lover that sucked a hickey?”

“No! To both!” Yoosung shrieked.

The two of them promptly got yelled at by Vanderwood to get back to work.


	15. Too Cute

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day Seven
> 
> "So I was correct in guessing that their colors in the chat room were their soul colors."

“Cut! Good job ladies, we made good time.”

The director said that, but it was already six in the evening. Everyone gave out his or her gratitude and congratulatory remarks as we got redressed for civilization. I opted to wear a cute short dress and heels that weren’t overly tall when I left the apartment earlier. I wonder if this was to Zen’s tastes? I thought it was nice, nice enough to not question YeonYeon’s image if we got photographed.

“Do we have to do anything when we get back?” I asked as we entered our van.

“Going to the RFA office again?” Seo-Yeon asked.

“Actually,” I replied slowly. “I was hoping to visit a friend.”

“I was going to have you practice the OSTs in the piano room, but it’s late. I could let you call it a day.”

“Thank you.” I said with a sunny smile.

“Can I go home?” Seo-Yeon pouted.

“Yeah, all right.” Ye-Jun relented. “Tomorrow, Seo-Yeon, you have the photo shoot for that athletic brand and early evening you girls have your first fan sign event.”

“Okay~” We sang simultaneously.

Even though we were only passengers on the long car ride to and back, it was still exhausting. Ye-Jun must want to go home, too. After almost another hour of travelling, we finally made it back into the city.

“Where do you have to go, Mi-Yeon?” Ye-Jun asked.

“I was going to do some grocery shopping. He hurt his ankle, so I’m sure he hasn’t had the chance to get some food.” I replied.

“I’ll go with you.” Seo-Yeon piped in. “Our apartment needs food, too.”

“We’ll be all right, Ye-Jun.” I promised.

“Tell your wife we say hello!” Seo-Yeon cheered, jumping out of the car excitedly when we parked at the grocery store nearest our apartment complex.

“Good night!” I laughed, following my best friend. I could feel Ye-Jun’s exasperation at our energy after such a long day. Nonetheless, he waved good-bye and bid us a safe journey before driving to the company building to drop off the van.

I did twice the amount of grocery shopping I normally did - half for my own home and half for Zen. Seo-Yeon and I bought as much as we ordinarily did, but she had to cart it back to our place by herself today. I called Jaehee while in a taxi and told her I was on my way to the 73 building. I carefully kept large sunglasses on my face. The sun was just about to set, so it didn’t look too odd having them on now.

Paying and thanking the driver, I got out with my bags and looked around for a limo. The only time Seo-Yeon and I rode in limos were when we attended award ceremonies or fancy parties, so the feeling was still rather unique if a bit uncomfortable. My parents were very well off and I grew up without worrying about money, but that didn’t mean I took a fancy car or had security personnel with me everywhere I went.

I did have maids and butlers… That’s beside the point.

Jumin sent Driver Kim to get me, a name I was becoming quite familiar with over the last seven days. I felt kind of special, getting such a crucial employee sent just for me. I happily thanked the man before asking him how Jumin was doing. What the driver said confused me. A cage? For Elizabeth?

For a man, who was used to being in control, to suddenly lose his grasp, everything must feel so chaotic. Spiraling into the abyss. His one constant, trustworthy, ally abruptly feeding him to the sharks. Jumin must feel so lonely in his world, but… was keeping the thing he cherished the most in an unbreakable box and chained to his side the right thing to do? Physically, I suppose it was safe, however, the more one is locked away, the more they wanted to break free. Animals and humans – were we so different?

I couldn’t ponder the thought any longer; Driver Kim announced that we arrived. Looking out the window, I saw we were in front of a fairly average looking building. Nothing bold about the coloring or architecture, just a humble little place. Driver Kim opened my door for me, helping me collect the grocery bags. He informed me that he would be waiting in the front for me to return within the time frame of two hours.

I nodded in confirmation that I heard loud and clear. I then carefully looked around, hoping to see no one loitering about. This was why we almost never used limos – the vehicle screamed of someone of wealth and or fame was inside. Driver Kim helped me carry the grocery bags to Zen’s door as I rang the doorbell.

The door opened to reveal a silver haired man, quite a few inches taller than I was.

“I’ve brought her following Mr. Han’s orders.” Driver Kim stated.

“MC! Nice to meet you.” Zen greeted happily. “Oh, Driver? You can ignore what Jumin said. We’ll have fun and call you when we’re finished. Bye~”

“Excuse me? But…” Driver Kim replied hesitantly.

Zen suddenly pulled me inside and closed the door, the plastic bags in my hands rustling with the sudden movement.

“Hey, MC. I’m sorry I don’t have much in the house.”

“Is it okay to ignore what Driver Kim said?” I asked worriedly. Maybe I was too much of a goody-goody.

“It’s fine, fine~” Zen laughed. “Wow… You’re a cute lady. What’s all of this, MC?”

“I figured it was hard for you to move around too much, so I brought over some groceries.” I said softly, hoping he wouldn’t find the gesture overbearing. The room was dark with my sunglasses on, so I slowly lifted them up with the one hand I let release the bags. “Ah, M.C. is my initials. You can just call me Mi-“

When my eyes directly met those of Zen’s red orbs, I felt such a cruel, unexpected, pain stab at my spine. I shut my eyes tightly, dropping to almost a kneeling position while reaching behind to prod at the spot. Third one from the top. Silver. It felt like both an eternity and just a brief second, switching from pain to pleasure.

Masochist. Everyone. I was sure of it.

“Are you okay?” Zen asked, kneeling with me and gently caressing my cheek, swiping my hair back. With his other hand, he was pressing at a spot on his side. “Wow, really… I couldn’t see them with your sunglasses on, but your eyes are so bright.”

It was silent after his compliment. I have never felt so nervous under someone’s direct scrutiny before. Anxiously I flit my eyes about to and fro - anywhere but at his examining gaze.

“… I can call Seo-Yeon if you’d rather have her here.” I whispered, my insecurities bursting free. I wasn’t good enough, was I?

“Huh?” My murmur seemed to have snapped Zen out of his musings. “What? No. Why would I want anyone else?” He inspected my face again. “Oh! You’re-!” The puzzle pieces seeming to click into place.

I felt a nervous laugh come out of my throat. “Yeah…”

“Seriously, wow.” Zen said in awe. He then began to scramble, like he remembered something. “God, what did I say that one time. Babe, you have nothing to worry about. I only say I have a type for people who I don’t know personally. Whatever types my soul mates is, that’s my real type.” He took my hands in his, standing up and pulling me along. “Up, up, a cutie like you shouldn’t be on the floor like this. And…” He leaned in close to me, our foreheads nearly touching. “What’s you’re type, hm? I’m an actor, I can be any type you want.”

Was it I, or was his tone very suggestive?

Why wasn’t I used to sweet words or close contact yet? I’m an idol for goodness sakes!

“Well, someone like you…” I said breathily. It took every ounce of practiced confidence I had accumulated through my career to say those words.

“Too cute.” Zen replied, leaning away carefully. “I really wanted to see you, I mean it.” I suddenly remembered why I was here and looked at his ankle.

“I’m sorry, did that hurt? You didn’t need to be on the floor with me.”

Zen laughed, “Honestly, I forgot just now. The jerk was right, I feel better already.” I bent down and picked up the crutch he set on the ground, carefully placing it under his arm. “I must be the happiest man on Earth, having such a beautiful soul mate take care of him. You’re as gentle as the rumors say you are.”

“You are always giving me compliments.” I sighed, my cheeks tinged pink. I wasn’t sure if I would ever get used to them.

“But they’re all true, babe~”

“Where’s your kitchen? I’ll put these away.” I said instead, gesturing to the bags still scattered around us.

“This way. I’ll help you.”

“Shouldn’t you rest? I came here to make sure you recover well.”

“Thoughtful and adorable.” Zen stopped his moving to turn my way to pat me on the top of my head. “It makes me feel pathetic, but can you carry them?”

I think he knew I was too flustered and kept heading towards his kitchen so not all of my blood rushed to my face. This wasn’t a stage… my training as an idol couldn’t help me here. I should’ve trained in acting with Seo-Yeon. Taking a silent breath, I gathered up all of the grocery bags in both hands and followed where Zen went. I lay them on the counter Zen was leaning against before opening his fridge.

“…You really don’t have anything in here but water and beer.” And the faint scent of smoke lingering around his home told me that that was a true statement as well. How… Food was a necessity.

“I don’t usually eat at home.” Zen admitted, digging into the bags and handing me something that belonged in the refrigerator. I looked at him a bit skeptically. Even if that were true… He winced playfully at my look.

It was a comfortable silence that fell upon us next. Casually, when Zen handed me something, he would brush his fingers against mine. It happened too often to be a coincidence, but, honestly, I wasn’t complaining. I found one! I finally found one… it felt like a small portion of my soul rejoiced at being reconnected. I’m happy and content at this moment.

“Mi-Yeon.”

“Hm?” I turned to look at him questioningly.

“Nothing,” He smiled back. “I just wanted to say your name.” It occurred to me then that that was the first time he said my real name. “If you’re bored, we can play games. I was actually going to ask you to help me grocery shop, since it’s hard for me to go alone now, but it’s like you read my mind. Smart and beautiful, honey~”

I followed him back to the living room, watching his hair flutter with his movements. I wonder if it was all right to touch him. It looked soft. He sat down on the sofa, setting aside his crutch and gesturing for me to make myself comfortable.

“You’re in heels, your feet will hurt if you stand too much, and I can’t have that.” Zen said.

“They’re not so bad.” I replied, looking down at my shoes. “I’m used to heels this size.”

“You really are one of those pop idols.” Zen chuckled, reaching for my hand and giving it a gentle tug. I sat without further protest. “So, what do you want to do? I’m pretty happy just sitting here with you.”

“We can turn on the TV. What are you doing?” I asked, feeling Zen’s fingers trace across my back.

“Sorry, babe. I was curious.” Zen admitted. “You were touching your back earlier, so I figured they were here. Oh, found it.” His finger pressed against the warm spot his crest emitted on my spine. “I don’t think I can hold in the beast if I asked to see these.”

“Th-They’re covered with heavy concealer today anyways.” I stuttered. Suggestive! “I had a lot of work earlier.”

“Oh, you must be so tired.” He cooed, rubbing my back up and down. “What can I do for you to make you feel better?”

“I came here to take care of you, not the other way around…” I reached out, letting my fingers run through his ponytail. He didn’t seem to mind this much physical contact. His hair was soft; it might be softer than mine.

We started talking about this and that, nothing in particular until Zen admitted to being harsh on Jumin and how the corporate heir reminded him of his brother. I think Zen felt better getting everything off his chest.

“I should apologize to the jerk, huh? He’s still our soul mate, after all.” Zen sighed, leaning his head back and putting an arm over his eyes.

“He is?” I asked, sitting up straighter.

Zen peaked an eye at me, “Right, you haven’t met the others in person, yet. The jerk, Jaehee, Yoosung, and Seven. They’re part of us.”

I had thought that they met; they always seemed to move in sync emotionally in our dreamscape. So I was correct in guessing that their colors in the chat room were their soul colors. A sudden smile adorned my lips before falling into a frown. Just one more. “Our most miserable…”

“You don’t know them either?” Zen asked, putting his arm down and turning to me. I didn’t realize I said that out loud but I shook my head negatively. He laid a gentle hand on my head. “We’ll find them, don’t worry. We’ll do everything we can for them.”

“Yeah.” I agreed; feeling comforted by his touch. “Can I take a look around? Your place looks so homey.”

“Go ahead, Mi-Yeon. What’s mine is yours.”

 

 

He watched her go off towards the rooms in the back. She entered the spare room first before going into his room. She was too cute. While he waited, Zen logged into the chat room and found Seven and Yoosung online.

 

**707:** One down, one to go T_T

**ZEN:** What are you saying?

**Yoosung:** He finished his agency work.

**Yoosung:** I didn’t do the work, but I’m exhausted…

**ZEN:** You weren’t just playing games?

**Yoosung:** No! I was watching the CCTV feed!

**ZEN:** You’re together right now?

**Yoosung:** AHHHHHH!!!!

**Yoosung:** (〇o〇；)

**Yoosung:** (〇o〇；)

**ZEN:**???

**Yoosung:** ZEN!!!!

**Yoosung:** I just remembered!

**Yoosung:** Did she get there?! Did you know?!?!

**Yoosung:** (〇o〇；)

**ZEN:** Hm?

**ZEN:** Oh, our cute guest coordinator?

**ZEN:** She’s here.

**ZEN:** (〃⌒∇⌒)

**707:** How is she?

**ZEN:** She’s good. We were just talking; time seemed to pass so fast. She went into my room but she’s not coming out.

**707:** ;;;;

**707:** What is she doing in your room?

**ZEN:** I don’t know lololol

**707:** Aren’t you nervous?

**ZEN:** About what?

**707:** I’d be nervous if someone goes into my room.

**ZEN:** lolololol I don’t have anything to hide.

**ZEN:** And I don’t mind her seeing everything.

**Yoosung:** Ohhhhh….!!!

**707:** This is what Jaehee was worried about!

**ZEN:** Oh…

**Yoosung:** You know that Jaehee’s _super_ worried?

**ZEN:** Yeah. I read the messages.

**ZEN:** I’m thankful that she worries and I understand what she’s saying…

**ZEN:** I like her. I want to be with her. And…

**ZEN:** There’s nothing for us to worry about.

**ZEN:** ☆⌒（＊＾∇゜）v

**707:** So romantic~

**707:** Ｏ(≧∇≦)Ｏ

**ZEN:** I’ve always been a romantic guy lol

**Yoosung:** Nothing for us to worry about?

**Yoosung:** ｢(ﾟﾍﾟ)

**ZEN:** I want to keep her to myself for now, so I’ll keep it a secret.

**ZEN:** ☆⌒（＊＾∇゜）v

**Yoosung:** ｢(ﾟﾍﾟ)

**Yoosung:** You all are so mean to me…

**Yoosung:** Seven~ I’m hungry. Let’s make dinner. I brought food so you can eat an actual meal for once.

**Yoosung:** And since she’s still with Zen, you can take a break and not worry.

**707:** Are you going to cook for me, cutie?

**707:** (＝⌒▽⌒＝)

**Yoosung:** …Fine.

**707:** Whoooo~ Free food~!

**Yoosung:** Zen, don’t skip dinner! And feed her!

**ZEN:** We’ll make dinner together.

**ZEN:** (〃⌒∇⌒)

**ZEN:** I think she’s about to come out now.

**707:** Laterz.

**Yoosung:** So lucky…

**ZEN:** Bye.

 

 

Nothing spectacular was in the first room. It was just a regular room with a closet. Though it was an exceptionally small room, and Zen didn’t bother to put a bed it in. I suppose it was just for storage, then. The closet had lots of clothes in it. Did Zen really have enough clothes to fit two closets? Well, I wasn’t one to say anything. I had lots of clothes because, throughout my career, I modeled for lots of different brands. They like to send me clothes to have me pictured wearing them out in public. Also, the dresses I wear for ceremonies were in there, even though I was only supposed to wear them once. Seo-Yeon and I should do something about those…

Moving on to his personal bedroom next, I cautiously crept in. Hm… He didn’t stop me. Nothing to hide, I suppose, not that I was checking every nook and cranny. He really made this place his home, it was no longer just some apartment for rent. I found lots of skincare products on a table that was pushed against the wall next to a door. I peaked in and found that it was a bathroom. It would be weird to explore that, right? I turned back around and found myself face to face with myself. His sliding closet doors were all mirrors. For the first time in a while, I got a good look at myself.

Was this too much makeup? I did come from a photo shoot. Or maybe it wasn’t enough? Zen didn’t say anything. I gently swiped under my lower lashes, hoping that none of it smudged off and made me look like a panda. I was sure Zen had makeup remover somewhere, but I wasn’t going to use it without asking. Triple checking my makeup again, I patted out the wrinkles in my dress and twirled. Presentable. Good.

I think I spent too much time in here… I opened the door back out to the living room and saw Zen on his phone.

“Oh. You came out.” He chuckled. “I just logged into the messenger. Yoosung is at Seven’s place making dinner. We haven’t eaten yet, do you want to cook with me?”

“If that’s what you want.” I replied with a nod.

“You must be hungry.” Zen got up from the couch and carefully walked to me. “I’m sorry for not feeding you sooner. Talking with you made me forget everything else.”

“I wasn’t really thinking about it, either.” I admitted, following him into the kitchen.

“Hm? Are you not that hungry? What time did you have lunch? Did you snack?”

I thought it over for longer than I’d like to admit. “I had two rice balls at around two in the afternoon?” I questioned myself, wracking my mind so he didn’t worry.

“… And breakfast? A better lunch than that later?” Zen asked slowly, turning to face me.

“Water for breakfast while Seo-Yeon and I rushed out the door. Nothing between then and the music show…” I listed quietly. “The rice balls on our drive to the photo and commercial shoot. Water… Then I came here. No, that’s all I had.”

“Sweetie…”

“I was so busy all day, I didn’t even notice.” I laughed nervously, putting a hand to my stomach. I got so used to the feeling it almost felt normal. Even now my stomach felt empty, but with everything going on, it wasn’t making any indications that it would growl.

“I know idol work is busy, but you shouldn’t neglect yourself. You’re making me worried.” Zen started to lecture.

Before he could continue my phone rang where I left it on the kitchen table when I first came in. Going to it, I picked it up.

“It’s Jaehee,” I announced. “Hello?”

_“MC…”_ Jaehee sounded desolate. _“God… I just came back from Mr. Han’s home. Thankfully he was there.”_

“You went to see Jumin? How is he?”

_“Mr. Han is having a difficult time from the recent events, which is very unlike him. So much so that he cannot even work. I did tell him that he should take a break, but I don’t know if that will help much. It felt as if… a deeply rooted problem just exploded. Since Mr. Han won’t be coming to work, the company will be in trouble, but I’m also worried that Glam Choi might plan something in the meantime. One person’s ruin can be another’s opportunity.”_

“He did seem tense on the messenger when he said he’d send me a driver.”

_“Yes. He… talked about having these tangled threads inside his mind, and to be honest, I couldn’t understand what he meant. Perhaps… you might understand him better. I’ve spent so long with him, but you seem to comprehend him despite the short time…”_

“Don’t think like that. I’m sure he depends on you, even if you don’t always understand him.”

_“Thank you for thinking that way. I’m sorry to ask this of you so suddenly, especially since you were already sent to Zen to console him, but could you please visit Mr. Han as soon as you can, as well? I’ve never seen him so… vulnerable. If Zen is doing all right, please… help.”_

“I’ll go to him as soon as I can, Jaehee. Thanks for worrying about him.” I said solemnly, mindlessly tracing a pattern onto the table.

_“Thank you for being so understanding. I’m sure that will be a big help to Mr. Han. Driver Kim should still be waiting for you. I’ll inform him to take you to Mr. Han’s penthouse and I’ll notify the guards of your arrival. I don’t know if this is for the best, but I can’t think of anything else. Zen and Mr. Han… Jumin… they seem fond of you. I will put a stop to all major projects, and look more into Glam Choi and Sarah in the meantime.”_

“Thanks, Jaehee. Take care of yourself, too.”

_“Please take good care of him.”_

“What was that about?” Zen asked, coming up next to me. “It didn’t sound good.”

“Zen, you wanted to apologize to Jumin, didn’t you?” I asked hopefully.

“Yeah, I guess. Why?”

“Want to go to him? Right now?” I said firmly. “Jaehee said he wasn’t doing well and… I don’t want him to drown anymore.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you think in-game MC was doing in Zen’s room? xD


	16. Sleeping Kitten

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day Seven
> 
> "Comfortable enough to let go. Comfortable enough to let us into his lonely world."

I got out of the limo before Zen, carefully standing nearby to steady him if he lost balance while adjusting his crutches. He shot me a grateful smile before turning to the security guards coming towards us.

“You must be Ms. MC. Chief Assistant Kang informed us of your arrival.” The head of security greeted. The man then nodded to Zen. Seems like they’ve met before. “I will take you two up to Mr. Han’s penthouse.”

“Thank you.” I replied, following them to the private elevator. This place seemed to have everything. Specialty stores and a convenience store on the lower floors, a gym, and a rooftop garden, according to the map we passed. The rest of the floors must be residential homes, though the map didn’t specify.

It was dark, it felt out of place to be wearing my sunglasses now, but I didn’t want to have our souls reconnect out in the open. I’m sure Jumin had all of his employees sign a confidentiality agreement, but just in case anything happened… I also needed to talk with my label company… We needed to talk _together_. Jumin was rather influential and not once have I heard anything about his soul mates either.

The elevator stopped at the highest floor. Zen and I were told to wait in the hallway as one of the security personnel informed Jumin and got clearance. From where we stood, I heard Jumin call for the guard to come in. In just a few short seconds, the guard came back out and motioned for us to enter the penthouse.

“I didn’t know Assistant Kang would send you. God…” Jumin said in surprise, his eyes wide. “Zen, you came with her.”

“Jerk.” The musical actor mumbled under his breath.

“Jumin… I’m so glad to finally meet you.” I greeted, ignoring their jabs at each other. Zen closed the door behind him, secluding the three of us within.

“I never expected you to come to my house.” Jumin added. “I feel a bit nervous… to actually see you like this. I thought I’d get to meet you at the party.” He paused then gestured to my sunglasses. “Is there a reason you have these on? The sun has set.”

“Well…” I drawled out. Zen stood next to me. I slowly lifted them off my face, resting them on top of my head. As our eyes met, that jolt of electricity travelled through our veins. Zen reached out and held my waist, pressing my body close to his so I didn’t fall. Ah… It was hot; being this close to him didn’t help, even if it was a different kind of heat. I heard Jumin hiss before crouching down and holding his left calf. So his were there.

When the sensations faded to just a pleasant warmth that was always present when we were near each other, Jumin cleared his throat, “I see.” He stood back up, checking his cufflinks even though his eyes were on mine. “Sorry, I just stared into your eyes.”

“Can’t you be any more romantic?” Zen huffed, slowly releasing me to put his weight back on his crutches. He then sneezed – and then once more. We picked up allergy medicine on the way, but it didn’t seem to be helping too much.

When I turned back to look at Jumin, he was still looking at me, paying no mind to Zen.

“Oh, I’m sorry, I can’t help but keep staring at you. I still can’t quite believe it.” The businessman stated. He closed his eyes, taking a steadying breath. “Anyways, what did you come here for? Tell me if you need anything.”

“Hey, you really are a robot, you know that?” Zen replied dryly. “We came here because Jaehee said you were having a hard time. Well… Mi-Yeon wanted to come.”

“Mi-Yeon?” Jumin asked with a raised eyebrow.

“M.C. is my initials.” I piped up with a nervous chuckle. “My real name Mi-Yeon Cho. Nice to meet you.”

“I suppose this calls for proper introductions, then. It’s nice to meet you in person, Mi-Yeon Cho.” Jumin greeted again. “So… Assistant Kang asked that of you. I didn’t realize she’d make such an outrageous request… But I’m quite happy that you are worried for me. Welcome to my home, Mi-Yeon. Zen.”

“Where’s that furball? I don’t see it, but my nose is itching like crazy.” Zen sniffled.

“Oh. Late introductions.” Jumin said, directing our gazes to something set off to the side. “This is Elizabeth. I put her in a cage for now.”

I knelt down beside the cage, hearing a pitiful meow. I carefully stuck a finger between the bars, allowing the cat to sniff my scent. “Why did you put her in a cage…?” So what Driver Kim said was true…

“…I had no choice but to. I’ll explain later.” Jumin evaded. “Oh, come to think of it, did you two have dinner yet? Please feel at home, I can order anything you want.”

Zen and I shared a worried glance before telling Jumin we hadn’t had the chance to eat anything yet. For now, we’ll let Jumin feel a bit more comfortable before digging into the problem.

Apparently, one of the lower floors housed a large kitchen where Jumin’s personal chef worked. The three of us sat at Jumin’s exceedingly nice, but moderately sized, dining table while the food was being delivered. We could literally order anything we wanted, there was no menu or set course for tonight, everything was made according to our desire. Honestly, it was a bit daunting. But as we ate, casual conversation picked back up.

“You don’t know who she is?” Zen asked incredulously. “Look closely.”

“Her name is Mi-Yeon, were you not listening?” Jumin asked. “And yes, she is quite beautiful.”

I heard Zen let out a growl, which made me giggle softly behind my cloth napkin despite the light flush on my cheeks.

“Do you listen to music, Jumin? Zen told me he doesn’t much listen to the radio.” I asked.

“Hm, I don’t listen to much of the radio, as well. I prefer instrumental pieces to those pop culture songs on nowadays. Perhaps you’d like to attend an orchestra concert with me in the future.”

Pop culture songs… Nowadays. He really wasn’t _that_ much older than me. Environment really was a huge factor in someone’s personality.

“Hey, Jumin Han…” Zen said dryly.

However, the topic Jumin brought up did pique my interest.

“I’ve been to quite a few orchestra concerts, actually. I’m particularly familiar with solo piano concerts, though.” I said happily. When I was young and during school breaks, my parents sometimes brought me along to their concerts. As I became older, I attended as a normal guest to surprise them on occasion.

“Is that so?” Jumin asked, happily continuing the conversation. “Perhaps we’ve listened to the same musicians.”

“Perhaps.” I shrugged. I saw Zen staring at his food in thought. Was he trying to remember stuff about me? How cute. “Yuuki Hamasaki. I attend a lot of her orchestra concerts and sometimes I attend the musicals she performs pieces in.” Jumin nodded sagely. “Maybe you’re more familiar with the name Sujin Cho. His skill is quite impressive as well.”

“Ah, Mr. Sujin Cho. C&R once had him perform at our Christmas party, although that was a few years ago. You are correct, his talent is quite remarkable.”

“I’m glad you think so.” I replied sincerely. A lot of times I think I have all of this backwards, but I feel proud to hear praise for my parents.

“You play the piano, too, don’t you, Mi-Yeon?” Zen asked absently, looking down at his phone.

“Zen, it is rude to have-“ Jumin began scolding.

“Oh! I found it.” Zen interrupted with a cheer.

“Yeah, although being a pianist turned out to be like a side job. It adds to my value, you could say.” I admitted sheepishly. “What did you find?”

“Korean Pianist, Sujin Cho, announced to marry Japanese Pianist, Yuuki Hamasaki. The couple since then had a daughter, who pursued a singing career under Lux Entertainment.” Zen read off. I hummed in agreement, nodding my head. That’s how the story went. Zen clicked around on his phone, presumably to my own information page rather than my parents’. “She debuted as a member of the agency’s girl group YeonYeon and has risen to prominence due to the group’s success. Aside from group activities, she has recorded songs and piano pieces for various television series, movies, and games, showing the same level of talent as her parents, Sujin Cho and Yuuki Hamasaki.”

“You don’t have to read the whole thing.” I cut in softly, getting embarrassed.

“Why are you interested in their daughter? You are making Mi-Yeon uncomfortable.” Jumin warned.

“Well, trust fund kid,” Zen began. “Their daughter’s name so happens to be Mi-Yeon Cho.”

After a pause, Jumin seemed to have gathered all of the information in the world. “Now I understand Luciel’s sudden proposal. Having that popular group, YeonYeon – was it? – to model at C&R.” He looked at me directly. “And his new obsession…”

“That’s me. A pop culture singer.” I replied playfully. “But I don’t want you to think I asked Seven to put in a good word to you. He… catches me by surprise a lot.”

“I’ll take your word for it,” Jumin shrugged. “With or without his interference, I would have considered it if you had asked.”

“Thank you.” I said sincerely. It would definitely be nice to have a contract with C&R, but YeonYeon could do without it if Jumin deemed us unnecessary.

“However…” Jumin added. “At this time, I’m afraid I have to decline making such a deal.”

“It’s a good thing, but Jaehee said you were stopping all of the cat projects.” Zen said. “You act fine and polite, but you’re not all right. I know it, Mi-Yeon knows it. We all do. Your bolts are coming loose, and not in a good way.”

“I never claimed to have bolts.”

“Dude, just say you’re father hurt your nonexistent feelings.”

“Zen.” I called out to stop him.

Before I could say anything more, Jumin continued. “Yes, my father has wrapped his own son in a little gift box and is selling it off. He has fallen into the delusions of a woman who only sees him for his wealth. Is that what you wish for me to say?”

“You’re such a robot.” Zen sighed, putting his chin in his palm.

“What he means is, you can tell us anything, Jumin. You’re having a hard time, so let us stand by you.” I explained.

“…Thank you. I admit it was wise for Assistant Kang to send you. I feel instantly better.” Jumin replied softly, standing up. “Shall we continue with wine in the living room?”

He wasn’t ready yet. He needed a little more time to calm the chaos within his mind. He needed to secure the safety of all that he holds dear. Nevertheless, I think he’s going to be all right. He opened up, if only just a little bit. I hope Jumin feels comfortable around us. Around me. Comfortable enough to let go. Comfortable enough to let us into his lonely world.

Jumin was very different from Zen. The musical actor was flirtatious, casual touching and sweet words ingrained into his everyday pattern. Jumin, on the other hand, kept a respectable distance, occasionally dropping compliments so sweet but acting nonchalant about them. Two such different people being soul mates. I almost wanted to laugh at how well they showed their affection through bickering.

Today had been such an eventful day. Within just a few hours, I met not one, but two soul mates. I also discovered who three other of my soul mates were. There were things that still needed to be solved, things we needed to approach with caution, and people we needed to worry about. But at this moment, sitting in Jumin’s home, I couldn’t feel any more content.

Zen finally got around to apologizing for being discriminate against the older man. Jumin accepted the apology in his own way, the words unlike the ones Zen would use. Of course they started quarreling about it. From my perspective, the tiny arguments were in good-natured fun, something that brought them closer emotionally without even realizing it.

I was sitting with my leg crossed over the other, my arms resting across my lap, overlapping. I carefully balanced a glass of wine on the sofa just next to my thigh, holding it with the hand I had above the other. I really shouldn’t drink too much, especially during our promotional period. Their voices lulled me into a daydream-like state.

Today was a good day.

Two of my soul mates were right here. Their voices were calming; their crests were warm on my back.

It wasn’t lonely here.

Today was… a… good…

…day.

 

“I told you, I’m allergic! Even if you say I’m fine now, it’s because of the medicine Mi-Yeon and I got. The moment it runs its course, my beautiful face is going to be all puffy again.” Zen whined. “I hate being in the same place as that fur ball.”

“Her name is Elizabeth the 3rd.” Jumin corrected.

“She’s a fur ball. And don’t you dare-!” Zen stopped with a disgruntled noise when Jumin reached out to cover Zen’s lips with his hand.

“You’re too loud.” Jumin whispered, his voice dropping to a softer volume. Zen saw the man’s grey eyes shift to the other human occupant in the room. Zen turned his head to the woman who sat on the other side of the sofa.

Mi-Yeon fell asleep sitting up, her head only slightly lowered. She must be used to sleeping in sitting positions if she was able to do so without falling over.

“She must have been tired.” Zen said, his expression softening as he watched her silently doze away. “She did say her schedule started really early this morning, and it finished when she came to my place.”

“I see. We seem to have caused her trouble.” Jumin stated; getting up from the armchair he sat in. Setting down his wine glass on the coffee table, he carefully plucked the glass from Mi-Yeon’s fingers, setting it beside his own. He then gently slid his hand under her crossed legs and behind her back, lifting her to his chest. “She’ll rest in my bed, tonight.”

“I guess you can act like a gentlemen sometimes.” Zen smirked. Echo Girl seemed to have a different idea, though. The actor got up as quietly as he could with his crutches, following Jumin to the large, comfortable looking bed. Zen tugged the covers aside before Jumin set the delicate Snow Princess down. The older man then knelt down and took one foot at a time to take off the girl’s shoes, placing them to the side. With her as comfy as possible, Zen lifted the covers over her shoulders, snuggling her into the warmth.

Jumin carefully swept a lock of hair behind her ear. “As beautiful as a sleeping kitten.”

“I agree that she’s beautiful, but why are you comparing her to cats?” Zen sighed, looking at Mi-Yeon’s sleeping face. Oh, she shouldn’t sleep with makeup on, that wouldn’t be good for her skin. Zen wanted to wipe it away to see her bare face. He bet she was adorable. Awake or asleep, with or without cosmetics, Mi-Yeon was too cute.

“Will you be leaving? It is quite late.” Jumin asked, standing back up to look Zen in the eyes.

“There’s no way I’m leaving you alone with her! You may be a rock, but you’re still a dude!”

“I never had such intentions. You must be having vulgar thoughts.”

“Hey! This isn’t vulgar. Any guy who’s alone with a woman at this hour would have all of these… um… these thoughts! God, never mind!”

“You’ll wake her.” Jumin hushed, pushing Zen back to their seats in the sitting area. “Perhaps we owe Assistant Kang gratitude for sending Mi-Yeon to me, seeing as your mind is so indecent.”

Zen growled, “You will never understand the world of men. I’m staying anyways just to make sure. I would usually say to send her home, but she must be exhausted. Dinner tonight was her first real meal today, you know.”

“Hm… I must talk to her agency.” Jumin whispered under his breath. “If you are staying, you may use the guestroom there.” He pointed to a room. “You need rest to recover as well, don’t you?”

“Where will you sleep?” Zen asked skeptically.

“I’ll be fine. I don’t think I’ll sleep.”

“What? Are you going to plug yourself into an outlet and charge?” Zen snorted, patting Jumin on the shoulder. “Sleep if you need to.” With that, Zen headed towards the indicated guestroom slowly on his crutches.

 

I whined under my breath, slowly opening my eyes. My bed didn’t usually feel like this… Where…?

…!

I got up on my elbows, looking around. I felt an embarrassed blush spread on my cheeks. I fell asleep. When did I fall asleep? Looking out the window, I saw how high the moon was in the sky. It must be really late…

…I was in Jumin’s bed…!

“It’s still night. You can rest longer.”

Turning my head, I saw Jumin casually sitting down.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to impose.” I said hastily, shifting to get up. Jumin stopped me with a hand gesture, rising from his seat.

“You’re not imposing. It is too dangerous for you to go home at this hour, so please rest. It would make me happy if you stayed.” He said, kneeling beside the bed with the book he was reading in hand. “If you are uncomfortable at the change of scenery, do you mind if I read for you?”

I nodded, softly laying back on the pillow at his urging. “Your voice is soothing.”

“Glad to hear it.” Jumin chuckled. He opened the book to the first page even though he was reading it just a few minutes ago.

Jumin began reciting the words on the pages in a low voice. From the first few paragraphs, I wasn’t sure what this book was about, so I asked. Seemed like Jumin hadn’t finished it either, admitting to never wanting to finish it.

It hurt. I hurt for him. Rika gave him the book, telling him to tell her what it was about because it was too boring for her. It hurt because… I get the feeling that he cherished her very much. I hurt for him, because he never got the chance to fulfill her simple wish. A promise that would forever remain incomplete.

“I never took this book out ever since she passed away. But the moment I saw you resting so peacefully, I thought of this book. Since you are like Rika. Oh, I don’t mean that you look like her. It’s just that…I feel just as curious about you as I was with her. Hm… no, perhaps I’m more curious about you than with her. Amazing that I feel this way.”

“Curious? You want to know more about me?” I whispered.

“Yes, I do.” He confessed, setting the book on the bed to give his full attention to me. “I didn’t realize when we were just talking on the messenger. But now that you’re right beside me, feel this warmth coming from your crest on my body; I want to know you.” He brushed my hair aside. “Ever since I was young, I didn’t understand this concept of soul mates. These crests never meant anything more than marks on my body. Curiosity visited me temporarily and sporadically. No one around me stayed with the person who matched the crest. But it was different when Rika and V were here. Every time I met them, they seemed happy, they seemed loyal. A feeling I didn’t know. That made me… quite anxious. I still feel that anxiety even to this day.”

“Because the people you were close to were moving ahead without you?”

He smiled at me. “Amazing… You made me turn all of my focus on you. Thanks to that, I’ll be able to stop thinking about all those troubles. I think I understand… what the others have been trying to say to me all this time. Thank you so much for coming. I feel so good that you’re here. I… never want to let you go; or let _them_ go. One day, once I finish reading this book to you… I feel as if all my threads will untangle. Oh. You won’t know what I’m talking about, I’ll explain later. It seems I’ve just kept you up. Go to sleep now, young lady.”

Jumin took my fingers that were peaking out of the covers in his hand. He brought them to his lips, leaving a lingering, warm kiss.


	17. Beauty Is Only Skin Deep

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day Eight
> 
> "The most beautiful face and body in the world paled immensely in comparison to someone who was gorgeous on the inside."

 

Zen checked the time on his phone. It was early. He felt bad that he had to wake up sleeping beauty, but they needed to think of some kind of plan. _Jumin was not okay._ Making as little noise as possible, he slowly opened the door to the guestroom he stayed in. Jumin was in the kitchen with his back turned to Zen. Was trust fund kid cooking? He could cook?...

Well, whatever it was, it smelled edible, at least.

Zen hoped he didn’t get food poisoning…

With steady clicks on the floor made by his crutches, he hopped his way to the large bed with the expensive looking comforter. The lump on one side looked so cute.

“Princess, it’s morning.” He finally got close enough to see her side profile, her hands fiddling with her phone. “Oh, you’re awake.”

“Good morning.” Mi-Yeon mumbled softly, sitting up. “I was just texting Seo-Yeon.”

“Sorry it’s so early, but,” He trailed off in a whisper, sitting on the side of the bed to be closer. “I need to talk to you while trust fund kid is distracted in the kitchen.”

“About Elizabeth?”

“And we have to get him to go to work for Jaehee’s sake.” Zen sighed. “She’s been digging up information on Sarah all night – something about bad credit. Poor Jaehee must be exhausted.”

“Jumin’s afraid to leave Elizabeth alone because something might happen to her if he takes his eyes off of her.” Mi-Yeon thought out loud. “If someone Jumin trusts were to look after her while he was away…”

“There’s no way I’m staying with the fur ball.” Zen scrunched up his nose. “I already feel my eyes watering.”

“My manager and my company is going to scold me if I don’t go in to practice this new stuff. And I’ve got a fan signing event later.” Mi-Yeon said as she carefully wiped under her eyes. Probably self-conscious of the makeup she left on her face.

“Don’t worry, you’re still pretty.” Zen chuckled, running his fingers through her bangs. “Nothing smudged.”

Mi-Yeon turned her face away to try to hide the blush blooming on her cheeks. “Does Yoosung need to go to school today?”

“I would usually say that even if he did, he’d be more than willing to skip.” Zen snorted in amusement. “But now that you’re here, he’s growing up a bit. I’ll give him a call, you deal with the jerk.”

Mi-Yeon hummed questioningly, turning to look at the figure coming out of the kitchen.

“Good morning.” Jumin greeted, leaning against the doorway. “It hasn’t been scientifically proven that beautiful women sleep more. But it’s been said that women tend to sleep longer than men on average.”

“Do you think I am beautiful?” Mi-Yeon asked bashfully, bringing her knees up to her chest. Zen couldn’t decide if that line was romantic or cringe worthy coming from that guy.

“Was I too direct?” Jumin asked, amused. “I made pancakes for a beautiful lady. Won’t you two join me in the dining area?”

“I need to call someone. Go ahead and start without me.” Zen said, getting up from the bed.

“No manners, as usual.” Jumin replied, clearly exasperated.

“I don’t want to spend another minute I don’t have to here.” Zen growled, his short temper coming to light. Twitching his nose and sniffing, he sneezed loudly, his whole body quaking enough to rattle the crutches under his arms.

Jumin sighed before turning to the woman in the room. “Mi-Yeon, you can wash up in the bathroom after we eat. I had a new outfit sent for you.”

“You didn’t have to.” Mi-Yeon argued gently, getting up from the bed and fixing the covers up a little.

“Nonsense. A princess should have clothes fit for a princess. This is what my father has taught me since I was a little boy.” Jumin waved off.

“Thank you for saying so, but don’t worry about me.” Mi-Yeon brushed at the dress she still wore.

“Let’s eat before the strawberry pancakes turn cold.” Jumin smiled, reaching out with a hand for her to take. He led her to the table where they had dinner and pulled out her chair before sitting himself across from her.

Zen kept quiet as he listened from the guest room, his phone ringing in the ear further from the door.

_“Zen?”_ Yoosung’s sleepy voice greeted. Oh, that’s right, it wasn’t even 7 in the morning yet.

“How’s Seven doing?”

_“Um… good? Better…”_ Zen heard the blonde yawn. _“Why are you awake right now?”_

“Mi-Yeon and I need a favor. It’s about Jumin.” He didn’t beat around the bush. “Are you free today?”

_“Hm? Mi-Yeon… Ah, right. MC is Mi-Yeon.”_ Yoosung yawned again. How late did Yoosung stay up? _“I was going to stay until Seven finished, but…”_ Zen heard rustling, most likely the boy getting up. _“He’s been at it all night. He’s probably almost done.”_

“So you’re free.”

_“Ugh, can’t you let me sleep and ask when I’m more awake?”_ Yoosung whined.

“You barely need to lift a finger.” Zen said dryly. “Just come to the jerk’s penthouse and watch Elizabeth. She’s in a cage, anyways, so I doubt it’ll be hard.”

_“Elizabeth is in a cage?!”_

Zen winced, that definitely woke up the blonde. “Mi-Yeon said it’s something about keeping a close eye on things important to him. She can explain it better, but we need you to come here and watch her so trust fund kid can save Jaehee from C&R hell.”

_“…Here?... You’re at Jumin’s?! With Mi-Yeon?!”_

“Not the point, Yoosung…” Zen sighed. “I’ll explain everything later, just… can you? If Seven is floating enough, then help us with Jumin. Mi-Yeon has idol things to do and you know I’m allergic to that fur ball.”

_“Hm… Well that strange guy is gone…”_

“Strange guy?”

_“Ah, forget I said that. I think Seven’s going to be working on the special security system all day. I can leave him some cooked food and go to Jumin’s.”_

“Not going to school?” Zen asked with a raised eyebrow.

_“…Do you want me to watch Elizabeth or not? You can do it.”_

“Hm? Did I say something?” Zen chuckled nervously. “Anyways, I’ll get Jumin to send a car to you. Thanks, Yoosung.”

_“Sure.”_ The blonde sounded oddly relieved for having agreed to take on another task. Zen wondered if some kind of weight was lifted off of Yoosung’s shoulders just now. He shrugged it off, hanging up the phone and going to the dining area.

“Shouldn’t you go to work?” Mi-Yeon asked. “Jaehee is saying that there’s a strange rumor going around. Something about missing work to prepare for the wedding.”

“You read what Assistant Kang said earlier, I see.” Jumin replied slowly, shifting his eyes to the sitting area where Elizabeth sat in a cage.

“Yoosung will come and look after the cat.” Zen interrupted, sitting in the chair in front of an extra plate of pancakes. “You can trust Yoosung more than anyone, can’t you, jerk? It’s been how many years since you met? If his efforts until now didn’t move you, I’m really going to think you’re a robot.”

“You’ll feel safe letting someone you trust guard her, don’t you think?” Mi-Yeon urged gently. “Please, Jumin? You can’t ignore your work because of this.”

“…Yes… I can trust Yoosung.” The corporate heir whispered to himself. “I’ll make it up to him. I can’t just sit and let strange rumors get around in my office.”

“Nothing good can come out of such rumors.” Mi-Yeon said with an affirmative nod.

“Yes! Jaehee is saved.” Zen cheered just before he sneezed. “Ugh, I have to get out of here.”

After freshening up, Mi-Yeon and Zen were gifted with new outfits. Though the actor wanted to set the outfit on fire, he was held back by the need to feel clean. Zen was correct in his assumption; Mi-Yeon was just as pretty without makeup on. It was to his disappointment that she put her sunglasses back on her face. Jumin said his farewell to Mi-Yeon by gently taking a lock of her hair and kissing it.

Smooth little shit.

The jerk ordered for Driver Kim to first drop off Zen at his place and then Mi-Yeon at hers just in case cameras were present by her apartment complex. Driver Kim then had to go to Seven’s place to get Yoosung. Zen thought the driver should get a raise for the shit the trust fund kid puts him through.

Getting dropped off first, he bid farewell to his soul mate with a gentle stroke to her cheek. Suddenly, standing in his home was lonely. As the seconds ticked by, the dot of warmth on his side faded as Mi-Yeon got further away. Zen sighed loudly, falling to sit on his couch. It was still early.

… He wondered if he could get his cast off.

He could feel it. His ankle was healed.

Before Zen could think on it further, his doorbell rang. At this hour? It wasn’t even eight in the morning yet… although he supposes it was close, it was still odd.

“Who is it?!” Zen yelled through the door as he got up. Opening it, he was shocked at the sight.

“Zen!! I snuck out.” Echo Girl greeted happily but her expression quickly fell to a dramatic pout. “I did come here last night, but you weren’t home…”

“You snuck out?! What if someone sees?”

“Who cares? We’re working together. Besides, you’ll only get more popular if we get involved in a scandal.”

“I don’t want to get more popular through that, besides, you should only date your soul mate.” Zen replied worriedly.

“We can say we’re so in love that we’re willing to share each other with our soul mates when we find them. Not even the bond will keep us apart. Wouldn’t that be romantic?” Echo Girl said with all of the confidence in the world.

“I don’t want that. Please go home. People will misunderstand if you are seen leaving a man’s house so early in the morning.”

“No~! It was really hard sneaking out! Do you know how early I woke up today?”

“God… Why did you come here? We talked yesterday.”

“Don’t tell me you don’t know~! I did try last night, but this early in the morning is all the same. There’s only one reason why a woman would stand in front of a man’s door at this hour~”

“Shhh!!!” Zen hissed, making wild movements with his hands.

“Zen, don’t be shy~”

“God…”

“I’m sure you were tormented with desire as soon as you saw me. I know it already. My manager told me this frequently happens in the entertainment industry. I’m old enough to know everything!”

Zen suddenly thought of Mi-Yeon. He knew that things like this happened sometimes in all industries, not just entertainment. But it didn’t have to be that way. _That_ wasn’t the only way to reach the top. He believed hard work really did pay off in the end. Mi-Yeon was a perfect representative of that.

“Hey, what’s your real name?” He asked.

“Oh… My real name? I’m kind of embarrassed to say… Can’t I go inside first?” Zen repeated his question. “…Kyungju Choi. Well, I guess you should call me by my real name now, I feel like we’re just working when you call me Echo Girl. If you’re going to call me by my name, be more friendly!” She touched his arm flirtatiously.

“Kyungju,” Zen said firmly, taking the hand on his arm and removing it. “Stop talking and…”

Echo Girl squealed, “Zen~!”

“Go home.”

Zen wondered how shameless the girl in front of him really was, proudly announcing her breast size to a man she barely knew. Natural or not, it didn’t matter to him. Physical appearance was just that, only skin deep. He didn’t lack in looks, but even he knew that the most beautiful face and body in the world paled immensely in comparison to someone who was gorgeous on the inside.

“What about me are you unhappy with? I even helped you get the role~! You know that’s all my doing~!”

“I don’t need to do anything like this for a role… Go home.”

“What do you mean you don’t need to do anything…! Are you really an actor? …Is it because I’m too precious that you can’t put your hands on me? I do look like the fragile type I admit that. But I’m a grown adult now. Look at my body! Here, touch me here~”

The sight of Mi-Yeon’s light pink cheeks when he touched her hands yesterday flashed through his mind. The woman in front of him was so different… bold in a… not so pleasant way. God he missed Mi-Yeon already. He wondered if she got home all right. Or if Driver Kim got Yoosung yet. Did Yoosung leave food for Seven? Lord knew the hacker didn’t eat well. And Jaehee at least had a nap, didn’t she? Jumin, the jerk, better get to work.

As he was lost in thought, Kyungju kept talking. Being in a relationship with her would bring him easy fame and opportunities. Her wealthy family could support him too. All he needed to do was love her now. Say he agreed that when they found their soul mates, they’d share each other.

“Kyungju…” Even if they were a little off the wall or infuriating or game addicts or whatever else he may discover about them, he wouldn’t trade them for the world. They’ve been together since the youngest was born into the world. Through thick and thin. No matter how much he complained about someone, there was something deeper in him that pulled him back to their sides. “I guess I didn’t make it clear enough. I don’t want a relationship like that. I don’t need a relationship like that. A soul mate isn’t someone you can just write off and mine wouldn’t be all right with this.”

“Wh-What?! You’ve found yours? Wh-Who?!”

“You don’t need to know. I’m sorry. I’d have let you in already if I couldn’t control myself in front of a girl with natural D cup breasts… But I can control myself. If you don’t go home right now, you might never see me again. Of course, we would never go on stage together. If you don’t want to take a cab home right now, I can call your manager and kindly tell her everything that’s happened. She’ll probably send a limo over then.

“In short, you have three options.” Zen smiled pleasantly if not a bit sadistically. “Do you want to take a cab home? Or a limo home? Or we can say goodbye here… and quit the new production?”

“…You talk like Jumin.”

Great, he was being compared to _that_ soul mate.

Kyungju started throwing a tantrum, right there at his front door. She ran off yelling that the guys in the RFA were weirdos.

“…You want me to call your manager?” Zen asked to her retreating form. Even if they did just have a tiff, she shouldn’t go walking around alone if she really was as famous and important as she claimed.

Zen sighed, closing the door.

Who was he kidding? That role just went up in flames.


	18. Going Downhill

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day Eight
> 
> "There was nothing I could do about what was already done; I just had to look ahead."

Getting dropped off at my apartment complex, I thanked Driver Kim earnestly as he held the car door open for me and waved goodbye to him. Greeting the staff stationed on the first floor, I made my way to the elevator. I wonder if Seo-Yeon left for her photo shoot yet. It was just past eight in the morning, and I’m pretty sure her shoot started at ten.

“I’m back.” I said softly to in an empty room. I guess she wasn’t here.

I felt the air get knocked out of me as a body collided into my back.

“Don’t tell me you got lucky last night.” Seo-Yeon laughed, letting me go.

“Can I tape your mouth shut?” I asked, my cheeks burning.

“You’ll be out of a duet partner then.” She stuck out her tongue at me. “Anything you want to tell me before I leave?”

“Well…” I drawled out. “You were right.” She looked at me with a raised eyebrow. “The RFA members are my soul mates.”

She cheered loudly, bouncing up and down while taking my hands and making me do the same. Seo-Yeon hugged me tightly. “How many?”

“I met two yesterday. And I know of three more.”

“Hm… that leaves one more right?” Seo-Yeon asked thoughtfully. “Ah, I have to go!” She gave me another hug before stepping around me and walking out the door I just closed.

I guess we’ll talk later.

Stretching my arms above my head, I made my way to my room. I’m tired, but since I’m already awake, I might as well start my day. The dress Jumin gave me was lovely; there was no reason for me to change. As I was applying some light makeup, I checked the RFA messenger. I wondered if Yoosung made it to Jumin’s yet?

 

**707:** MC…

**707:** (╥_╥)

**MC:** What’s wrong, Seven?

**MC:** Are you having trouble fixing the special security system?

**707:** Well… It’s complicated, but I’m working on a better algorithm…

**707:** DON’T GO THERE!

**MC:** Okay, I won’t. Don’t worry so much about me~

**MC:** Make sure you’re taking breaks.

**707:** Don’t be so nice…

**MC:**?

**707:** The truth is…

**707:** The special security system I told you about at the apartment…

**707:** Two years ago… at the second RFA party,

**707:** we had a lot of famous businessmen and politicians attend.

**707:** Rika stored private information about those guests in that apartment and because it involved a lot of famous people,

**707:** there were groups who tried to go after those documents…

**707:** We didn’t tell the members this.

**707:** V, Rika, and I tried to take care of this ourselves…

**707:** Rika found traces of people trying to break in, and she felt as if people were stalking her…

**707:** Once we realized there might be intruders, we decided to strengthen the security at the apartment.

**MC:** The ‘special security system.’

**707:** Yeah… Rika asked me to install a security system that can blow up all the stored documents when an intruder gets in…

**707:** I was opposed to it of course…!

**707:** But… she was so persistent and I had to give in, so I installed it,

**707:** Under the condition that she will not stay at the apartment unless something happens.

**MC:** … Blow up all the store documents… Seven… do you know what that sounds like?

**MC:** There’s no way…

**MC:** Right…?

**707:** When a person who is not a member of the RFA enters the apartment,

**707:** <photo of fiery explosion>

**707:** this is what happens… haha;

**MC:** Why are you telling me this now?!

**707:** I’m so sorry…

**707:** I really have nothing to say.

**707:** It was supposed to be a secret.

**707:** When you first came into the RFA…

**707:** I didn’t think of anything except how great it would be to be able to hold another party…

**707:** I really believed in my system. It never caused any problems until now.

**707:** I was really… against installing this system in the first place…

**707:** I put you in danger.

**MC:** It’s not your fault.

**707:** But I should’ve convinced V to turn you away…

**MC:** You didn’t do it on purpose, so I’d like to be understanding.

**707:** Don’t be so nice…

**MC:** What are we going to do now?

**MC:** You want to continue Rika’s dreams, right?

**707:** I just said don’t go there! I haven’t even finished resetting the system yet!

**707:** Did you read anything I just said?!

**707:** And they didn’t hack it just for fun, you know,

**707:** They’re probably waiting for a good time to go in there!

**MC:** Then…

**MC:** Why don’t you come with me?

**MC:** Besides V, you’re the only one that knows the address, too.

**MC:** And we’ve already worked so hard on the party…

**707:** …

**MC:** You’re worried about my safety, so come and protect me.

**MC:** And if something happens to the… bomb… you’re the best person to ask, right?

**707:** …

**707:** I’ll go fix the algorithm.

**707:** Don’t you dare go in there yet, promise?

**707:** …I’ll call you when I’ve checked around.

 

Before I could say anything more, he logged out of the chat room. I don’t know whether to be elated that he was coming with me or shocked that I casually walked into an apartment that was laced with a bomb multiple times. I felt like laughing from insanity…

I let out a sigh. There was nothing I could do about what was already done; I just had to look ahead. I double-checked the light, natural makeup look I applied on my face before getting up. There was still one thing I wanted to do before going to the company building.

I grabbed a purse that matched with this new dress and put my things inside. Hm… What was Jaehee’s favorite food or drink, I wonder? I was going to send a basket of little goodies to her office since she has no time to eat, but maybe it would be better just to order her a meal from a restaurant. I couldn’t send a food truck like I did when I sent a smoothie truck to Seo-Yeon’s drama shoot last summer. C&R was a company building, after all. And if she didn’t have time to go down to the cafeteria, there was no way she could go down there for a food truck.

I stopped by the couch to check for restaurants on my phone. Hm… something Jaehee would like… Maybe I should call someone… I scrolled through the options, absently weighing one restaurant against the other. Something healthy and filling… something healthy and filling…

The RFA app suddenly made a noise.

Clicking on it, I saw nothing out of the ordinary. My notification said someone entered the chat room so I went in as well to say my good mornings. My phone made a high-pitched squeak as the chat room was filled with green text and a black background.

 

**Unknown:** Sae--_you*__rayed?-0*

**Unknown:** Is&__-#fun-_@

**Unknown:** …

**Unknown:** You^_ando%-#--?

**Unknown:**.

**Unknown:** \---------@@

**Unknown:** ted_so# *long

**Unknown:**!lo# $wai_--

**Unknown:** …

**Unknown:** %wated_l@m

**Unknown:**.

**Unknown:** \---------##

**Unknown:** Traitor

**Unknown:** I am

**Unknown:** going to

**Unknown:** corrupt you

 

The screen turned black again as more of that green text scrolled up. Then, it was as if nothing happened. The regular cloud background that was used during the daytime hours was back and… I was the only one in the chat room.

Sae… you prayed? Is it fun? You and… I waited so long. Traitor, I am going to corrupt you.

Sae… The only thing I could think of was that that was the first character of someone’s name. There was no one who had a name like that though… Well, I didn’t know V’s real name, and Seven’s real name was Luciel, not something traditionally Korean. Although… Jumin said that was his baptismal name. Was it Seven’s birth name or V’s? Sae-Rom? Sae-Hyuk? Sae-Hyun?

The only reason we started talking about Luciel being Seven’s baptismal name was because we talked about religion, which was brought up because Seven said he… prayed.

You and… who? The RFA? Someone specific?

I should call Seven, but… It all happened so fast. Was I imagining it? Even if I went back into the chat room or restarted the app, nothing was there.

Humming in frustration, I decided on sending a text to Seven saying that I thought a saw a weird message in the chat room. He might too be busy with the bomb algorithm right now to take my call. I shivered at the thought. Maybe the app glitched or had a bug. Letting out another big breath, I pushed off the couch and made my way to the restaurant I decided on.

When I finished, I made my way to the company building. On my way there, Yoosung called me in a panic, saying Elizabeth escaped.

_“What are we going to do?”_ Yoosung exclaimed, sounding like he was about to cry. _“Jumin was introducing me to the newer security guards so they knew my face, but then Elizabeth escaped! And then Jumin told me to stay put while he searches the building.”_

“Yoosung,” I called gently. “Deep breath.” He finally stopped rambling and let out all the air he had in his lungs. Even though I told him that, I felt my heart constrict. I just saw her! She rubbed her head on my skin when I stuck a finger in her cage… Jumin must be feeling terrible.

_“I’m sorry… Thanks.”_ Yoosung whispered.

“Should I go over there?”

_“No, I think Jumin will feel like he needs to protect you if he sees you. If you come here, he’ll stop everything to make sure you’re okay while worrying about Elizabeth…”_ He admitted softly. _“That might be more stressful… I mean, you’re safe, right? You’re… You’re a celebrity, so you have body guards with you all the time, right?”_

Oh, Yoosung found out. Probably because he was with Seven all night. “Well, not all the time, but I’m safe. I’m going into my company building, so there are security guards here. Is there anything you want me to do?”

_“I don’t think Elizabeth will be anywhere near you, but if you see her…”_

“Are you sure that’s all I can do?” I asked worriedly.

_“I don’t know what else we_ can _do…”_ Yoosung sighed before chuckling dryly. _“I’m sorry for whining, that’s not very manly of me. And you must be really busy.”_

“I’ll always make time for you guys.” I reassured. “Don’t worry about my job.”

_“I can’t believe I’ve been talking to you so casually all of this time.”_

“I’m not any different… I don’t need special treatment...”

_“I know. It’s just surprising, you know? I thought Jumin was probably going to be the most famous guy I’ll ever meet, and Zen is doing really well these days.”_ He paused. _“But to get to talk to someone new who’s an idol, super pretty, and acts totally normal? It’s been really fun! Well, Zen and Jumin are both handsome, too, but… I think you outshine them any day.”_

My cheeks felt hot again. What is with my soul mates?!

Yoosung kept speaking, not letting me have a moment to cut in. _“Thanks for talking to me. You always seem to make me feel calmer. Jumin will find Elizabeth; I know it. Hmm… I’ll let you get to work now. Don’t overdo it!”_

He hung up…

Was there really nothing I could do besides wait? Elizabeth was just a cat, she’ll run to a place she deemed safe, probably.

Everything was going downhill…

The afternoon passed by in a blur. I felt like all the practice I did in the piano room didn’t really register. Sighing, I knew I would have to redo everything I just pretended to do. Jaehee came into the chat room a bit frantic. Jumin, of course, didn’t go to the office and already had ads on every media outlet available. She did thank me for the full course meal I sent her, though, and took a photo of the note I had sent along with it to post in the RFA chat room.

 

_A healthy body equals a healthy mind. Enjoy yourself~_

_With love, MC_

Speaking of the chat room, Seven texted me back about the strange message I saw. I was the only one to see the actual message, but he was able to find traces of the hacker going into the app through the logs. He was having the most difficult time contacting V, as well. Advising everyone to stay someplace safe and with security guards in the mean time, he went back to fixing the algorithm of the special security system. Poor Seven must have so much on his plate right now.

The only positive thing that happened all day was that Zen announced he got his cast off.

As I was getting redressed for the fan sign event YeonYeon had today, I could only pray that nothing else happened.

Today was like a boulder tumbling downhill faster and faster.

I had a dreadful feeling that this day would end on a bad note.


	19. This Was Pandemonium

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day Eight
> 
> “You just being safe is already helping him.”

This was pandemonium.

The moment we were leaving the department store that YeonYeon’s signing event was held at, I realized my phone had more notifications on it than when my label holds a concert featuring all of their active singers. Jumin was worrying that Elizabeth hated him, which led him to believing that he should return the cat to V. Jaehee, on top of her workload, had to watch over the phone in case V called because she was the only one Jumin trusted at the office at the moment.

And Yoosung... he was being stretched thin. Jumin went home feeling like he hit rock bottom, making the blonde worry and fret over the older man. And then Sarah visited… The woman seemed to have grated Yoosung’s nerves into dust. I don’t think I’ve seen Yoosung so angry. Through all his ranting, I gathered that Sarah brought a photo of what was supposed to be Elizabeth and then tried to get Jumin to give her 3 million dollars. Yoosung informed us that Jumin had to have the security guards forcibly remove her after that. He was also saying something about a soap opera, but I wasn’t really sure what he meant…

Now, Seven was calling me.

_“How was the signing event?”_

“I bet you already know how it went.” I joked softly.

_“Do I?”_ He asked, his mischievous streak back. _“Ah… why did you call me?”_

“… You called me?”

_“Oh right, I did.”_ Seven laughed nervously. _“Why did I call you…? My fingers just dialed automatically.”_

“Really? Right after I finished, too.” I hummed in amusement. “Do you want me to come in for work, boss?”

_“I am at Rika’s apartment, right now. Everything seems in order, and no one was inside.”_

“I’ll finish up here and see you soon.” I said, my heart beating with anticipation. I was about to see him. Meet him face to face.

_“Stay safe.”_ He said in the gentlest voice I have ever heard from him.

I went on to the label building with Seo-Yeon and the rest of the staff. The gifts our fan gave us would be sent to the apartment, as always. We went through YeonYeon’s schedule for the next day before being dismissed. Ye-Jun agreed to drive us to where we needed to be and went to retrieve the sedan key.

“Don’t work too hard.” Seo-Yeon said as she waved goodbye.

“Have fun with your friends at dinner.” I replied, waving as well.

“I’ll come get you in two or three hours.” Ye-Jun informed me. “Be careful.”

I promised with a nod. Like usual, I walked around the outdoor food market. Hm… I was getting kind of hungry…

I think I took too long in getting to the apartment. As I was entering the passcode to the door, I heard anxious tapping coming from inside. I called out to the man I knew was there. Carefully, I kept my back turned as I closed the door.

“You made it.”

“Yeah.” I said softly, leaning my shoulder on the hallway wall while my eyes roamed his form. Seven finally lifted his eyes from the computer in front of him.

That, now familiar, feeling rushed through my system. Although I heard his hiss of pain, he didn’t react much more. Honestly speaking, Seven must be use to this feeling by now with how many soul mates we had. I, on the other hand, still needed to lean my weight against the wall.

“I figured you might be.” Seven sighed. I felt a twinge of pain in my heart at the slightly disappointed tone I detected.

Clearing my throat, I replied, “It’s nice to meet you.”

“You guys really shouldn’t get close to me, but you’re all so persistent.”

“Of course we are.” I huffed, pushing off the wall and making my way to the couch where he sat. I put down the containers I held in my hands on the coffee table then took off the anti dust mask on my face. “You’re one of us.”

“Why can’t you forget about me and be happy?” Seven asked, tilting his head slightly as he looked at me. It was almost childlike innocence. “Letting me protect you is much more than I deserve.”

“You’re so hot and cold.” I blurted out without thinking. “Don’t you think forgetting about you will make us miserable? We can’t even if we wanted to, which we don’t.”

“You’re all so strange. I’ve pushed you guys away multiple times saying that I can’t give you what you want, but you’re not discouraged at all and still at my side. Yoosung has been the worse.”

“We’re just being honest because we like you, Seven. Not only because we’re soul mates. Haven’t the others been your friends for a long time? Even I can tell that they wouldn’t trade your friendship for the world.” I slowly sat down on the other side of the couch. “You say mean things and you use hurtful words on purpose, but I think you’re just trying to make yourself into the bad guy. You’re actually really nice, aren’t you, Seven? You wouldn’t be here if you weren’t.”

Seven stayed silent for a moment in thought before snorting in amusement, “As expected of an idol. Your words are as pretty as they are calculative. You lured me here like the hacker did to you.”

“I just wanted to meet you.” I laughed softly. “You look like you’re feeling better.”

“I’m really no good for you guys…” He trailed off, blankly staring at his computer screen, however a small smile played on his lips. “But I’m no match against you either… Ugh, I feel hot. Let’s talk about something else.”

“Hm,” I hummed while digging through the plastic bags I had. “I bought us dinner. And one of my fans baked me a small cake. I can’t eat all of it myself.”

“You bought Jaehee a pretty nice lunch, too. Did you just get paid?”

“Oh ha-ha.” I stuck out my tongue at him as I set down a container. “What are you working on? You said you got the bomb sorted out earlier in the chat room.”

“Tracing the hacker. Nothing for you to think about.”

I harrumphed softly but let it go for now. The apartment fell silent; the only noise was of the clicking of keyboard keys and eating utensils. It has only been just over a day since I last checked my RFA email, but there were lots of people I needed to reply to. It was a comfortable atmosphere, the two of us working respectively. It was nice. And I think Seven was finally opening his heart up. No doubt, he still harbored secrets, but I believed that a day would come when he wants to reveal them. The rest of us just had to be patient.

I wasn’t anywhere near done with the emails when Yoosung entered the chat room.

 

**Yoosung:** I can’t believe they let you work next to a bomb!

**Yoosung:** Putting a person you like in danger…

**Yoosung:** What kind of man could stand that?

**MC:** Seven has it under control now, and he knew right away when it got hacked.

**Yoosung:** It’s not that I don’t trust Seven’s skills…

**MC:** I understand your worry, Yoosung. But we all prepared for the party together this far. It’s important too.

**MC:** Seven is keeping a close eye on me, so let’s keep working hard together.

**MC:** ^^

**Yoosung:** You are still very calm even in this situation…

**Yoosung:** Jumin isn’t back yet, either…

**MC:** How is Jumin?

**Yoosung:** I don’t know, anymore. I don’t know anything! Everything is just…

“Yoosung is reaching his limit.” I mumbled absently, not turning my eyes away from my phone.

“He’s at Jumin’s, isn’t he? Did they fight?” Seven asked, also not turning away from the screen in front of him.

“Not Jumin… Yoosung is mad at V… you know, about the bomb. Why it remains here now… And Rika’s death.”

 

**Yoosung:** I can’t understand V.

**Yoosung:** I’ve tried many times to understand him…

**Yoosung:** but every time I feel betrayed.

**MC:** Did V ever lie to you?

**Yoosung:** I guess hiding things aren’t lying.

**Yoosung:** But… the hurt the other person feels is the same.

**Yoosung:** Even about Rika’s death… he never explained a thing to me.

**Yoosung:** Why can’t anyone understand how I felt when she suddenly disappeared?

**MC:** Instead of letting the doubt rot… I think you should talk to V yourself.

 

“What should we do, Seven?” I asked worriedly, looking up to meet his golden colored eyes.

“You just being safe is already helping him.” He replied, pausing his work. “When he came to my place and found out about the bomb… He really started to grill me.” Seven let out a humorless laugh. “He cares about you. More than he probably should since he doesn’t know you’re our soul mate.”

“Do you care about me?” I wondered, hugging my knees to my chest. I readied my heart to be hurt. Did he find me exasperating? I did push my beliefs on him earlier.

“Would I be here otherwise?” Seven replied, staring into my eyes. His features softened. “Don’t look like that. Come on, let’s eat this cake together.”

He held out a fork just far enough that I had to scoot a little closer to reach it. The motion unwound my arms from my legs. Sitting closer, he slid the cake box in between us on the coffee table and opened it.

Ah… I showed him one of my bad sides…

“I’ve been trying to get in contact with V.” Seven broke the silence, licking some frosting from his lips. “Even I don’t know what he’s doing during all of this. I left him a message, though, saying he should talk to Yoosung.”

“Did you see this coming?” I questioned.

“Yoosung hasn’t had the best relationship with V since… Well, anyways, Yoosung was always a little angry that I did everything V told me to, or that I trusted V more than anyone. I owe V a lot, so it’s just natural for me. When Yoosung came over, he yelled at me, but I knew, at the same time, he was yelling at V. The special security system putting you in danger was already pushing further and further off the proverbial cliff. He doesn’t want to see someone important to him get hurt, especially because of V’s decisions.”

“You understand each other well.” I said enviously.

“Yoosung is just easy to read.” Seven admitted. “He’s not good at hiding anything. I’ll try getting in contact with V again.”

With a nod, the apartment fell silent once again. I tried calming Yoosung down before he left the chat room to think things over. I hope Jumin would go home soon… or perhaps they are both so emotionally distraught that they’d drown each other… Should I go see them? Maybe Zen would be willing; he has known them for much longer than I have. They’ll feel more comfortable. I shifted my eyes to the man next to me. Seven seemed so busy…

Some time had passed when Seven’s phone notified him to a message. I was almost done with the emails for tonight, so instead of finishing up my research for the current invitee, I silently waited to see what news Seven might have.

“V’s phone might be bugged.” He said, narrowing his eyes. I guess that phone Seven made out of boredom and sent to the photographer really did come in handy. “He said he’d go to the chat room according to Jaehee’s pattern analysis of Yoosung because it’s secure there.”

“I see, that’s good for Yoosung, at least.” I mumbled softly. “You think it’s the same hacker?”

“Probably.”

This was pandemonium.

The chaos became more ferocious when V talked to Yoosung in the chat room. As promised, V told us what he could. Rika asked for the bomb so the physical information about the guests could be secured. The person who lured me to the apartment using the app was likely the same person who was after the information now. V said to leave the bomb here to act as a threat to the large number of people after the information. It will be removed once V knows that I am safe to work here at my leisure.

V was a good man. He’s acting this way because he wanted to protect us.

I didn’t feel any bad intentions from him, in my opinion. I hope Yoosung could feel the same way.

The situation reminded me of a saying: Those who know do not speak, and those who speak do not know.

So… What did V know?

 

**Yoosung:** You didn’t even explain her death properly…

**Yoosung:** How could I have faith in you?

**Yoosung:** She wasn’t even mentally ill! She was not depressed enough to kill herself!

**V:** She was.

**MC:** … Rika was mentally ill?

**V:** …

**Yoosung:** No way…

**V:** God…

**V:** I’m sorry.

**V:** Let’s stop this.

**V:** I talked too much.

**V:** I’m sorry…

**V:** I have to go.

_V has left the chatroom._

I felt my phone beginning to slip from my hands. Yoosung… I’m so sorry. He also left in a hurry, but I couldn’t blame him. From what I know, Yoosung and Rika were close. The revelation must be so shocking.

Ahhhh~ I felt like I was going crazy too. Seven must have noticed my distress because he stopped typing. He took one of my hands in his and put it on his right forearm.

“Yoosung said this made him feel calm.” He explained simply before going back to tracing the hacker.

Curiously, I ran my fingers up his forearm, finding a warm spot through his sleeve. Oh, this must be where my crest was.

… Hm?

Without his noticing, I slipped my fingers a little further down to the next crest – the next youngest soul mate. It was cold. Seven’s eyes never strayed from the codes on his computer. I put my phone on my lap and inched my fingers up my spine. Yoosung’s green crest was the temperature of my skin. Neutral. A soul mate that I had yet to meet. Same with the crest just above Green. Most likely the same crest that I pressed the pads of my fingers against on Seven’s arm. Cold. Like they were physically far away. As cold as Jumin’s crest. Or Zen’s.

“Seven, how many soul mates have you met?”

“Why do you ask?” Seven wondered. “There’s one missing. It’s the same with everyone else.”

He didn’t seem like he was lying. “I see.”

A mystery I’ll keep to myself and figure out later. I don’t want to burden him.

The rest of the time passed on quietly. I finished up the awaiting emails while Seven made some progress on his hacking. Even if I asked him, all the technical terms would probably leave me just as uninformed as I was now. Packing up our belongings and the trash, the two of us left the apartment.

Worrying about me, Seven walked with me close to where Ye-Jun would pick me up. Since he couldn’t keep an eye on the CCTVs with his computers put away, he watched me walk to a sedan while he hid in the shadows. I hope he got home all right, too.

When I made it to my apartment, I heard the TV on. Seo-Yeon must have gotten home before I did.

Before I could say anything more than I was home, Seo-Yeon pointed at the screen in front of her, “Isn’t this one of the guys in the RFA?”

Zen really was on TV…

Oh. This didn’t look well. I sat on the couch next to Seo-Yeon and listened intently. It was reported that Zen called famous singer Echo Girl to his home and sexually harassed her. And Echo Girl announced that she was cancelling the musical production…

Was that a ‘morning after’ picture? How?? Last night Zen was… with Jumin and me. And he wouldn’t-!

Ah…

“So this is what she meant by revenge…” I said to myself. Zen called telling me about the strange encounter he had with Echo Girl this morning.

“He must have gotten on her really bad side.” Seo-Yeon replied, in awe of the severity of the news. “He’s not this type of guy, correct? I don’t need to worry about you, right?”

“Absolutely not!” I defended.

But… what to do… Could I do anything? My company would be against me getting involved, especially since, to the public, Zen and I were strangers and I had nothing to do with the RFA. We weren’t even managed by the same company. My label company was even avoiding holding signing events at C&R department stores with the company’s current romantic scandals. Ye-Jun would also, no doubt, advise me to not be seen in public with Zen after this. And I refuse to do anything that could hurt Seo-Yeon. Would my involvement make things worse?

This was pandemonium…!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've noticed, this story only gets lots of comments when the chapters are "cute" or "romantic". Maybe I should make them all like that? But then again... the plot would never go anywhere ^^;;


	20. We Have Each Other

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day Nine
> 
> "Hoping that the sound of her voice would sooth his mind and calm his heart."

It was barely morning, but already he knew the day was going to be a long one. He got barely a wink of sleep last night, but that wasn’t new. What was new was that Yoosung stayed over again. Jumin didn’t feel right sending the younger male home when he was so distraught over the things V revealed. If he repeated that excuse enough, maybe he’ll start to believe it. In truth, having Yoosung here, in front of his eyes, calmed his anxious heart. Even if the boy was a bit hysterical…

“The media can be so nasty sometimes.” Yoosung growled, gripping the fork in his hand until his knuckles turned white. “To you and to Zen. It’s not fair. Zen built his career without receiving help from anyone, but now his whole career is on the line because of some stupid rumor. And where is V?! Isn’t he supposed to be your friend? And… he can’t just… say those things and leave… This doesn’t make sense. V’s a liar…”

Yoosung’s mood deflated in a blink of an eye. Tears of anger became tears of sadness and frustration, but they never fell.

“Finish your breakfast and go back to bed. You had a hard time falling asleep yesterday.” Jumin suggested, sipping a hot cup of coffee. Yoosung will be safe here, in the penthouse. He could rest as much as he wanted. “It will do us no good if you expend all of your energy on your emotions now.”

“Jumin?” Yoosung questioned softly as the businessman got up from his chair. Jumin patted Yoosung’s shoulder.

“I’ll take care of things. You just stay here with the guards and answer your phone when the others need you.”

“There has to be something else I can do. I can’t just sit here.” Yoosung argued, standing up as well. “You guys are my soul mates…”

“What was it that Mi-Yeon said?” Jumin thought out loud. “If we have each other, she thinks we can get through every situation? You don’t need to do anything special to be helpful.”

Yoosung gnawed at his bottom lip, “I can at least go look for Elizabeth!”

“She ran away from me… I was the problem.” Jumin replied stiffly. “Anyways, the hacker is still at large. Going out there will only put you in danger.”

“But what about everyone else?”

“I’m sure you’re aware of Mi-Yeon’s profession by now, she is well protected if she’s doing something work related. Luciel’s home is well secured already. Jaehee is at C&R.”

“And Zen? What about him? He went off on his own to who knows where.” Yoosung asked nervously.

“I have a feeling I know where he went.” Jumin replied, fixing his cuff absently. “I’ll go get him after my meeting with my father.”

Before Yoosung could argue back, there was a knock on the door. A security guard came in, speaking quietly to Jumin. The businessman’s eyes widened briefly before agreeing to allow their new visitor into the penthouse.

“V?!” Yoosung gasped.

“V, what’s up? This is sudden.” Jumin greeted, closing the door behind his friend.

“It’s been a long time, you two.” V said.

“I thought you were abroad or something.” Yoosung asked cautiously.

“I came back… today.” V answered. “I wanted to call you two, but as I said before, I can’t talk on the phone right now. I heard you were at Jumin’s from Luciel.”

“What’s with that cane? And what’s with those sunglasses?”

“Are you really mad at me?”

“Why did you come all this way? Did something happen?” Yoosung whimpered, thinking of all the terrible things that could’ve happened to his soul mates.

“It’s nothing like that. I wanted to apologize. I felt so bad after talking to you. I didn’t know that you had such a hard time after that happened to Rika. So I’m sorry. I wanted to say I’m sorry.” V said.

“If you’re going to say sorry…!” Yoosung started angrily. “You could have just explained everything from the beginning.”

“Yes, maybe I should have. I just didn’t want to see you suffer. That’s why.” V admitted softly. “That’s why I hid everything. I’m sorry.”

“I hate you. I really hate you, you know.” Yoosung said hoarsely, his throat constricting.

“Yeah… That’s fine. So stop torturing yourself. I’m sorry things happened like this. I’m sorry. For real. I’m so sorry. It’s all my fault.”

“Do you think I’m going to change how I feel just because of this? You didn’t even come see me after Rika died. Why are you suddenly caring so much?”

“I thought it’d be painful for you to see me… That’s why.”

“Of course… Rika’s not here anymore. She’s not here. I can never see her again! It’s all because of you. It’s all… your fault. I can’t believe that Rika was sick. She did nothing wrong. It’s all your fault. You betrayed me, you made her sick, and now you even want to take Mi-Yeon away from us, right? You took Rika away…”

Jumin quietly watched their conversation. He wasn’t surprised when V pulled Yoosung into what was supposed to be a comforting hug. With Yoosung’s emotions in a whirlwind, the younger male complained to be released. V hasn’t changed since childhood, always apologizing and taking all of the responsibility himself.

“I wanted to do something. More than anyone.” V admitted with a shaky voice.

Jumin looked away. More than anyone… V wanted Rika to get better. Jumin wanted that, as well. It wasn’t anyone’s fault, but that didn’t stop the pain from arising in the people left behind. The guilt.

“V…!”

“Trust me.” V whispered. “More than anyone I… wanted to stop it. Whatever I could do to stop it…”

The two stayed hugging each other for a few more minutes, taking comfort in the similar pain they had in their hearts.

Yoosung pulled away first, wiping away the tears in his eyes. “…V, what’s wrong with your eyes? Are you… hurt?”

“I…” V coughed. “They’re fine for now. Let’s talk about that later. I came here to see how you were doing, too, Jumin.”

“When did you start to watch celebrity gossip?” Jumin sighed. “I’m fine.”

“You’re not fine.” V insisted with a soft look.

Jumin remained quiet for just a moment longer, “Father keeps insisting his ways. But someone told me it was all right to feel the way I do, so I’m fine. I am meeting with father later to discuss Glam Choi.”

“I see.” V chuckled softly. “What happened to that boy I knew from my childhood who’s advice was to throw away your emotions? I’m glad. I’m really, really glad.”

“That’s not advice…” Yoosung mumbled under his breath.

“I’m sure you already have a plan to deal with your fake fiancée, but I’ve got a favor to ask. While you put that into motion, would you help Zen, too?”

“This is nothing new. You and Rika have always told me to be good to Zen. I’ve repeated many times, but I am being good.” Jumin huffed. “I had to borrow Luciel for a while, anyways, although I don’t like that method. This was getting bothersome. But considering how heartbroken Zen is, the most annoying solution would work best, I suppose. I’m not interested in getting his ego back. So stop worrying about useless things.”

“You always did look after everyone well.” V responded fondly. “Thank you, my friend.”

“I… don’t need your thanks for that.”

“I’ll say goodbye first so you can get to your meeting with your father.” V said. “Yoosung, you aren’t going to class today?”

“I need to ask Jumin something… But with the hacker, it might not be safe to just walk around alone.” Yoosung repeated the words Jumin said to him earlier.

“Can’t you lend Yoosung some body guards, Jumin? Luciel would have informed you if it was too dangerous to even step foot outside.” V prodded gently with a serene smile on his face.

“Swear to that, V.” Jumin retorted. “With everything you know swear that everyone will be fine.”

“I swear, with body guards, everyone will be fine.” V said sincerely. “I will protect everyone.”

“All right then. Because you’re my friend, I’ll trust you.” Jumin sighed.

“Then I’ll leave first. I have something to do before the party.”

“You are coming, right?” Yoosung piped up.

“Of course.” V replied, waving as he walked out the door. “I’ll see you then.”

Saying everything he wanted to say, V closed the door behind him, leaving the two soul mates to themselves.

“Jumin, V-“

“To be honest, I knew.” Jumin interrupted, knowing what the blonde wanted to know. Jumin admitted to knowing that Rika changed, to knowing about V’s eyes and how the injury came to be. Yoosung didn’t want to believe anything, but it did him no good to doubt his soul mate.

“It’s not treatable?” Yoosung asked timidly.

“It is. But he refused treatment.”

“Why is he refusing treatment?”

“He said he doesn’t want it. He said it’s his own way to grieve for Rika’s death.” Jumin replied, sealing his emotions in his heart.

“Haha… I have no idea what to do. I’m sorry to be so weak in front of you. But still… It’s stupid to sacrifice yourself to grieve.”

“I agree, but what can you do if that’s how he deals with his sadness.”

“Why isn’t he seeking treatment? You’re his close friend.”

“I tried convincing him but he kept refusing. Besides he even gave up photography.”

“V is stupid.”

“The reason why he hasn’t been doing much for RFA is because of his worsening sight. I told him to get a corneal transplant but he refused. He said… he doesn’t want to see anything. If it’s an injury Rika left, he doesn’t want to get rid of it. That’s what he said.” Jumin paused, looking at Yoosung. The young boy looked so defeated at this moment.

Jumin continued, “V told me this after Rika’s funeral. He said he wants you to only remember Rika’s good side, because you thought so highly of her. V didn’t want to shatter that. I thought that maybe if we decide to hold the party again… V would receive the surgery and step up. But sadly… he still has no intention to get it. I even introduced him to a doctor. Now I went and broke my promise to him to not tell you all of this.”

“I’m sure you were a very good friend to V.” Yoosung sniffled. “I know I said I wanted to leave, but… could I stay? I just… want to gather my thoughts.”

“Of course.” Jumin replied. “My home has everything you need, all you need to do is ask.”

“You should go meet your dad. I’ll be okay.” Yoosung forced a watery smile on his face, turning to go sit on the couch. “Do what you have to do. You said we have each other, right?”

“Mi-Yeon said so, but yes, we do.” Jumin replied. “Call me if anything happens.”

Waiting until Yoosung gave a nod – a binding contract – Jumin left his home. First, he and his father needed to have a serious discussion.

Jumin decided to give Mi-Yeon a call while in the car, hoping that the sound of her voice would sooth his mind and calm his heart. She didn’t answer her phone. He called Luciel instead. The hacker had to know where the girl was.

_“Mi-Yeon? Um, she’s at rehearsals for a music show, I think. Or maybe she’s at that fan-signing event? Well, whatever. When I checked, her schedule was packed. Sorry, Mr. Director, I don’t think you can steal our little singer’s heart today~”_

Before Jumin could retort, his phone beeped, signaling that someone else was calling him. “Mi-Yeon is calling me. Don’t forget to check up on the hacker.” Jumin hung up his call with Seven and answered the person he was trying to reach before.

Their conversation was brief, but Mi-Yeon’s voice had the desired effect. Just as Seven said, the girl was busy at work and couldn’t talk for long, but it was enough for Jumin.

_“There are all of the RFA members. Don’t think you’re alone.”_

With them on his side, he can get through this next meeting.

The moment he stepped into the company building, things were already out of his control. His father changed the meeting place. They were supposed to have a chat over tea, or something similarly calming. Now they were in one of the conference rooms. Apparently, his father’s assistant had given him compiled research on Sarah that someone under Jumin’s jurisdiction gathered together.

“It’s Sarah’s credit report. She must have a lot of debt. And I called a couple places to check myself, and I could tell there are multiple loans under the company’s name.” Chief Han said, handing over the material. Jumin already knew of the bad credit, but the loans were new information for him. “Why didn’t you let me know if you knew?”

“Because I never intended to marry her in the first place. And I was preoccupied.”

“Preoccupied? You mean your missing cat. I was going to talk about all of your ads anyways… It’s simply too much. Think of the company’s reputation…! It’s nothing to go see the TV network head for.”

“There was a reason I had to find that cat. You will not understand, father.”

“A reason… You care so much about that cat but not about finding someone… I cannot understand you, son. All I want is for you to meet someone and be happy. You’ve said briefly that you have found your soul mates, but you aren’t pursuing much of a relationship with them, am I wrong? I want you to find that special feeling in Sarah.”

Jumin wasn’t one to say vulgar words, but he felt like spitting them out at this moment. Even after seeing the credit reports and the debt, his father was more than sure that Sarah wasn’t a bad person.

“If I were you, father, I would never let those women hide their financial situation before talking about marriage. This woman is still hiding the fact. You know that she is not to be trusted!”

This was ridiculous. Solve their financial problems for them? Everyone has one or two flaws they want to hide? Does his father even know what he’s saying anymore? All his father cared about now was if his girlfriend was happy or not.

“Anyways, I wish you’d respect my opinion regarding this marriage.”

“God…” Jumin hissed under his breath. “Father… I understand why you are acting like this. As you’ve said, I have never liked the women you’ve met. Because I knew that they were never truthful to me… They always wanted something from me. So I could never understand the relationships you so desired. It all seemed like making a deal to me. But I respected that you are different from me, so I have never said anything about whom you are with. But I’ve realized something recently… After meeting someone.”

“You mean you are seeing another woman?!” Chief Han gasped. “Is it another one of your soul mates? How many have you met now? You hardly talk of them.”

“I realized what it feels like to have your heart filled up after being with her. Thanks to her, I’ve understood what you are like when you’re with someone. I understand why I have the soul mates that I do. People who understand me and cheer for me… wanting to give them all the love and care… and also being irrational and stubborn, being blinded by love, just like you are now.” Jumin said without pause, the smiling faces of his soul mates running through his mind.

From a loving son to his father, Jumin tore the band-aid off in a single blow. The women his father was with never truly loved him. They were only busy trying to fill their greed. His father was blinded every single time, and Glam Choi and Sarah were no different. Please, don’t insist upon a baseless marriage. He didn’t want to dig up more on the women, but Jumin would if he must. Luciel would be thoroughly compensated from Jumin’s own pocket. All he wanted was to just be left in peace.

“I’m sorry. Regardless of what’s happened, I feel I’ve upset you. I will think more about it.” Chief Han exhaled. “Let’s stop the talk for now. I should be going back.”

Jumin then asked the chief of security to escort his father back and called for Assistant Kang to come in. There was something he needed to say to her. First, Jumin asked for the information she so tirelessly gathered all of this time. Second…

“Thank you.” Jumin said. “I ignored your efforts when you were doing your research, but it helped. I admit I was wrong. I apologize. It must have been very difficult for you to find all of that. From one soul mate to the other, thank you for doing this for me, Jaehee. I’ll get going, there is still someone I must speak to.”

He didn’t wait for Assistant Kang’s reaction before walking out of the conference room and calling for Driver Kim. Zen must be at that little place on the outskirts.

Jumin walked up the stone pathway. By the lookout, he saw the man he was looking for. “I thought you’d be smoking, but you don’t have anything in your mouth.”

“What…? Who is it?” Zen asked in surprise, turning around. “You freaked me out! How did you know I’m here?”

“I just thought of this place.” Jumin shrugged nonchalantly. “Do me a favor.”

“Favor? You have a favor to ask me when my reputation has hit rock bottom…? What is it?”

Jumin stood next to the silver haired male, leaning on the fence as well. “If things go according to plan, C&R can start up our halted projects again. There is this old teacup company my father bought a while back, for the woman he had before Glam. Why don’t you model for them? I heard the contract for their last model expired. You won’t have to worry about allergies this way.”

“…Are you serious?”

“I’m always serious.”

“Why do you want me? There must be thousands of others dying to do it.” Zen exhaled. “And now I’m practically known to the world as a scum. Because of Echo Girl… you know that.”

“I said I’m serious.” Jumin hated to repeat himself. “I don’t really care what the public thinks.”

“I don’t want to get opportunistic and get someone’s help. That’s how I ended up like this.” Zen said, going on about how the rich so easily handed out opportunities like this. “You’ll never understand me. We are different from birth.”

“We are not that different. I don’t deny that I am here because of my father. But I’ve never been ashamed of growing up in a rich family. I still think that this path is the most natural and wise decision for me. Even when marrying for business is thrown on the table. As you naturally chose musicals, I naturally chose to manage my family company and I don’t regret it.” Jumin explained. “I’m sure you have no regrets on the choices you made.”

“… I guess you’re right. I’m sorry if I misunderstood you.” Zen admitted. “You and I just have different ways of expressing things. You might actually be a pretty nice guy.”

“You and Mi-Yeon are the first to call me nice. I don’t know if I’m nice, per se, but I understand you not liking me. I was born with things some people only dream of.”

“You’re nice. That’s why you’re offering me this modeling job, and not the cat one because of my allergies. You said all of the halted projects, right? You had to have included those cats in there.”

“I’m doing this because V asked me to.” Jumin replied bluntly. “I simply thought that it’d be best for you to go back to work without much hassle.”

“I don’t plan to take any offers unless it’s only based on my talent… But even if V did ask you to do this, you really want to use me when my reputation is crap? What if it damages your company? You can ask Mi-Yeon. She’s already a well-known face, and her reputation isn’t like mine. At least one of us can succeed.”

Jumin sighed. He guessed he needed to start from step one. Jumin explained that his father, despite the mistakes he’s made because of his women, was very kind. When he was young, his father never abandoned him for making a mistake. His father fired any employee who made the same mistake, but never deserted him.

“Because that’s family.” Jumin said firmly.

“… So you just want to ignore my mistake? We’re not family.”

“You are my family.” Jumin scoffed. “RFA is practically my second family, which includes V… and Rika. But you… You, Mi-Yeon, Luciel, Yoosung, Jaehee, and one other we do not know – you are my soul mates. We’re family. Even if you do a horrible job at modeling, I won’t turn my back on you.”

Zen was stunned into silence for just a moment.

Jumin chose to continue, “So Zen, come work with me now. If you think that you can trust me, take my hand.”

“You always trashed your father, especially now, but he’s actually a pretty good guy, huh? A parent who won’t abandon you no matter what you do… I’m really jealous.” Zen chuckled. “To be honest… I wanted you guys to be my family more than anything when I was growing up. My soul mates. I didn’t have family… I thought I didn’t have people who always stayed beside me no matter what happens… But, it turns out… I already had one.”

“… I’m glad.”

“Thanks.” Zen replied. “Thanks for coming here. Are you going back? You still have to deal with Sarah, right?”

“Yes. I have loose ends to tie up.”

Zen bit his lip, calling out to Jumin as the businessman turned to leave, “Dude… I’ll do it, the modeling thing.”

Jumin was surprised. Zen suggested modeling for the cat food project instead of the teacup company. Out of loyalty. Because Zen saw the effort he put in to coming to see him at this outpost.

They really could get through anything as long as they had each other.


	21. He Hung Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day Ten
> 
> “Don’t let anyone in, okay? No matter what.”

My stomach hurt from all of the laughing we did. We laughed, and we played, talked about this rumor or that rumor, about one event or the other. That’s what these talk shows mostly consisted of. Seo-Yeon stretched her muscles as we got into the van to take us back to the company building. The morning was already over, another scheduled appearance completed. Our promotional period was going to end in just a few days. It made me a little sad, but there were a lot of other things to look forward to.

The RFA Party was tomorrow.

Ye-Jun took us to the company building to get our outfits sorted out. We had to look our best, especially where there were cameras. With Zen and Jumin’s looming press conferences, Jaehee was worried that the venue wasn’t big enough for all of the reporters that they called in. Especially since Jumin just invited Glam Choi and Sarah, too. Whether this was the intention since the beginning or not, the event tomorrow was sure to be one heck of a spectacle.

I even got a personal call from V with some extra instructions. He sounded apologetic about giving me another job to do, but it was really nothing to fret over.

Seo-Yeon and I spent the rest of the afternoon rehearsing in the practice rooms - both singing and dancing. We had to keep our skills up to par with what the label expected of us, after all. It was a surprisingly easy day for YeonYeon. I think Ye-Jun adjusted our schedule without our knowing because of my recruitment into the RFA and the upcoming party.

Before we knew it, the day was winding down and evening was approaching. Seo-Yeon and I went out to dinner together. We invited Ye-Jun, but he declined, saying he was going home to his wife early for once. He also added that I call him if I wanted to go to the RFA office. I did want to go, I was even planning on staying the night so I could make sure to answer all of the invited guests. Seven did say I could use the space like it was my own home. I told Ye-Jun to just rest at home and I’d take a taxi instead tonight.

Seo-Yeon and I didn’t bother to cover our faces. If we were seen, then so be it. Celebrities have dinner out of their homes, too. We went to a restaurant somewhat close to our apartment complex, so it wasn’t a far travel back home.

“We’re not performing tomorrow are we?” Seo-Yeon asked, cutting away at our shared appetizer with her fork. “We didn’t practice on the stage at all for it. And we actually have a benefit concert scheduled next month.”

“I don’t think they have the equipment for a show, anyways.” I shrugged. “RFA is an exclusive, private party, so it would be good to show our face there. I invited our food charity, too, so we’ll keep a good relationship with them.”

For our second anniversary as YeonYeon, and first anniversary of the official fan club opening, our fans donated money in our name to a charity that helped feed starving children. It was fitting, as our fan name was MiSeo Foodies. Some time after that, the charity asked us to be ambassadors for the organization, thus we hold a benefit concert each year and attend many of their events.

“Look at you, thinking ahead.” Seo-Yeon said proudly, poking at my cheek across the table. I chewed my food with a pout. “What time does it start, again?”

“Noon?” I questioned myself. I think the other members said noon. “Not too early.”

“Finally, I can sleep in.” Seo-Yeon sighed in relief.

The rest of dinner went by smoothly. We talked about nothing specific, just two close friends hanging out. When we were settling the check, there were some bolder fans that came up to ask us to take a picture with them. We were always grateful to our fans, so we took some time to take the pictures and sign some stuff.

When we finally made it through our apartment door, I went to pack an overnight bag and said goodnight to Seo-Yeon. Nothing too drastic happened with the other members all day. The only problem was that Elizabeth the 3rd was still missing. Maybe a shelter picked her up? I hope she was safe.

Seven did call to say he probably couldn’t go to the apartment with me, tonight. But he assured me no one was physically in the apartment, so it was relatively safe. With everything he was doing for us, his agency work got piled up again. He even called Yoosung to help him with something for Zen. It was nice to see Seven relying on someone, but the poor blonde only went home this morning, and now he was getting called away again. At least Yoosung seemed excited to be of help. Zen was preparing his speech for tomorrow while Jumin was dealing with company work with Jaehee.

Odd… I, as a K-Pop Idol, had less work than they did today. This day seemed too easy.

It appeared like everyone had work pile up these past ten days. After I finish some responses to the guests, I needed to start making a dent in the mountain of homework I had. Entering Rika’s apartment, I sat on the, now familiar, couch. Laying out the things I brought, I absently looked over to the other side.

I missed Seven being there.

I shook the thought out of my head. I’ll see him tomorrow. Before I could refocus myself, my phone rang.

_“Mi-Yeon!”_ Zen yelled into the phone. _“Are you okay?!”_

“I’m fine.” I replied, startled. My ear was ringing but I heard Zen stutter a sigh. “Are you okay? You sound like you’re in pain or something.”

_“I… I just woke up from a nap with a headache… I had a dream…”_

“Dream? What was it about?”

_“Where are you right now?”_ He asked instead.

“Rika’s apartment. I was about to reply to the lasts of the guests.”

_“Don’t let anyone in, okay? No matter what.”_

“What are you talking about? Do you think you had another psychic dream or something?” I wondered. He said that Elizabeth was jumping out of a car and running down the sidewalk in his last dream, but we have yet to find the Persian cat. Was Zen certain it wasn’t just a regular dream?

_“I might have… There’s a pattern when I have those dreams. I wake up and my head hurts and my body is covered in sweat. Then everything happens in reality. Nothing is strange, right? Seven did say there was no one there when he checked, but that doesn’t mean someone can’t go there later!”_

“I’ll have my phone near me at all times.” I promised. “What strange things should I look for? Did your dream hint at anything?”

_“You were defenseless at the apartment… And there was this man with white hair. He looked dangerous, and he was screaming some stuff I couldn’t really understand… Are you sure you can’t leave?”_

“I have to make sure all of the guests are taken care of.” I said sympathetically. He really was worried. “Besides, you need the party to happen, too. Your press conference is being held during it. I can’t let you and Jumin down.”

_“Your safety is what I really care about, forget about the party.”_

“Everyone worked so hard on it, and if we cancel now, RFA won’t have a good public image, either. It’ll be okay, I promise to be careful.”

Zen took a deep breath, _“Call me the moment something is weird, okay? I need to go do something.”_

He hung up before I could say anymore.

That was strange; Zen never usually hung up before I could say something. I hope he wasn’t doing something extreme and putting himself in danger. I looked around the apartment. There was no one here but me. Somehow, that felt scarier.

It was already getting fairly late. I didn’t even get a chance to do any work yet. I let out an anxious breath. It’ll be fine, I should just power through the emails… ah, but I needed to wait for replies for some of them, that’s why I thought I should stay overnight in the first place… I took another big breath and held it in before releasing it.

Nothing was going to happen. If something did, the others were just a phone call away…

A few hours passed by before something happened. I finished up the guest emails and was patiently awaiting their reply by doing my homework when it happened.

**“The special security system has been activated.”**

**“The special security system has been deactivated.”**

**“The special security system has been activated.”**

I turned to look towards where the computerized voice came from, gripping my phone in my hand. Slowly getting up, I carefully crept forward. It was coming from the computer that sat so innocently on the desk.

…Special security system. That’s… the bomb, wasn’t it? I quickly dialed Seven’s number.

**“The special security system has been reset.”**

**“Restarting… Three, two, one…”**

**“Welcome to the special security system.”**

I really hope Seven was the one fiddling with it.

_“Mi-Yeon-chan~ Good timing, I just finished up my agency work and Vanderwood is finally leaving~~”_ Seven sang. He used a Japanese honorific to act cute, but what he said made me tense… He was doing agency work? He wasn’t the one messing with this severely dangerous explosive?

Before I could stop myself, I subconsciously let out a nervous laugh.

_“Mi-Yeon?”_

“Seven…” I said in the sturdiest voice I could manage. “The computer in here just said something interesting.”

_“It said something?”_ I could tell that he was on high alert. The clicking of his keyboard filtered in through the phone. I heard him swear loudly, prompting another voice to ask what was wrong. It was probably Yoosung. _“Why didn’t it alert me…?!”_

It got hacked again… didn’t it? I feel like this other hacker is really out to get Seven and not just the RFA if they studied Seven’s methods this much. Seven said the new algorithm was a hundred times more complicated than the last.

While Seven was apologizing left and right, I tried to calm my heart. I knew it was here, but I came anyways. It was my decision. All I had to do was stay inside. The system now worked opposite as it was supposed to, right? Intruders can come in, but the RFA cannot. So… as long as an RFA member didn’t open the door, nothing will… happen…

Zen said he saw a strange, white haired man in the apartment with me in his dream.

Don’t panic. It’s fine. I just need to trust Seven.

It’s fine.

Everything is good…!

Haha…

_“You’re not saying anything. I failed you again… but please; just trust me until I can get it restored again. After that, you can hate me all you want. Use me for every dark thought that you have to your hearts content and dirty my hand, that’s fine. Throw me aside. Just please, Mi-Yeon…”_

“Nothing will come out of panicking.” I said in the gentlest voice I had. I needed to sound like I was smiling for him. “Don’t worry, I could never hate you. Do your best.”

_“Then I’ll get to work. Don’t move or else it might accidentally get set off!”_

He hung up before I could get another word in, too.

I let out another big breath, releasing all of my tension.

Yes, all I needed to do was trust Seven. In the mean time, I guess there was nothing to do but wait. Wait for Seven or wait for the intruder? I wonder which will happen first...

Maybe I was taking this too lightly now?


	22. Until The Day We Meet Again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day Eleven
> 
> “We’ll protect you. Just as you stood beside us when we were going through a rough time, we’ll be right here with you.”

I did my homework for the next few hours; I didn’t think I could sleep. It was really late in the night now. Or should I say very early in the morning? Even if I wanted to go home after everything was fixed, it would be dangerous to go out alone. Someone might be watching, too. And Seven was really taking his time, but I’m sure it wasn’t easy. Maybe he was making good time?

I paused every now and again to check my RFA email or to go into the chat room. Jaehee and Jumin have been alerted to what was happening. And did Yoosung just say Zen was on his way here?

A loud crash and the breaking of glass echoed in my ears, followed by a big gust of wind that blew my hair to and fro. I stood up immediately and turned to look at the wreckage.

“You’re busy with the party?” A man asked as he carefully scanned the floor to see where he could step safely. “You want to scream? Shh. I’ll just force you to shut up so you’d better be quiet.”

I think I was too surprised to scream. Nothing came out of my throat.

Stepping safely inside, he looked up at me, his mint green eyes shined with amusement. This time, I really felt my breath catch in my throat. A spot on my back was on fire while a soothing, liquid coolant flowed through my veins. No way… Like this?

The man swore loudly, gripping his left forearm tightly. His knuckles were white from the pressure. “What are you doing to me?!”

“Nothing.” I rasped out, the pain finally vanishing to leave a warm spot in its wake. “We’re just-“

“Liar!” He screamed. With the pain gone, he gripped his hair instead, like nothing in the world made sense anymore. “My soul mates abandoned me a long time ago! They don’t exist!”

I felt my heart ache. “I do exist, I’m right in front of you.” I don’t know where this confidence came from. Perhaps it was because I believed that I could trust my soul mates whole-heartedly, even if one of them did just break in through the window. On the 14th floor. Blind faith. “You’re Unknown aren’t you? Why do you think you picked me out of the millions of people with a cell phone? A singer working under a big label company would surely only bring you more trouble than it’s worth.”

It was like taking a shot in the dark, but I had to at least try.

“Shut up!”

“I won’t abandon you.” I tried to say calmly, taking a slow step towards him.

“Are you stupid? There’s glass all over the floor, you’ll step on it if you come closer.” He hissed at me before scoffing, “You sound just like Luciel, by the way.”

“You know Seven?”

“Of course I know him. The traitor.”

“Traitor? He would never…” I trailed of, thinking back to when I felt that cold spot on Seven’s right forearm.

“Such a liar. Look what Luciel has done to you, what this contaminated world has done to you. This world is ugly. There is nothing good about this world.” He growled, looking me straight in the eyes. “I’ll save you, my so called soul mate. I’m from paradise. You don’t know this, but you were invited too. Now let’s go together, to Magenta!”

“Magenta isn’t good for you.” I said on impulse. I don’t really understand what this Magenta is, but this person in front of me has suffered for so long. He has been drowning under the current for years. “Please, stay with me. I won’t leave your side.”

A sudden idea formed in my mind.

Magenta…

Should I make a deal with the devil? That one side of me itched to go forward with it. Could I save him if I went with him right now? Did I need to put on that face? It was a reckless plan… But how did Seven fit into all of this? Seven was a traitor?

He spoke, cutting my thoughts short.

“You expect me to believe you?” He asked angrily. “Paradise is filled with endless parties, overflowing love, joy without pain! Look what reality has done! Searing its mark on our bodies like cattle being marked as property! I don’t belong to you! I won’t let you use me!”

Someone banged on the door, making it rattle against the frame. We both turned to the door before looking at each other once more. Unknown gripped his hair again. Like his whole world was crumbling down around him.

“Are you okay?” I asked worriedly, stepping closer and reaching out.

“Don’t touch me!” He complained, swatting my hand away. “You don’t care about me, don’t act like you do!”

“Don’t say that.” I whispered softly. The beeping of the keypad outside sounded. Unknown growled, going back out the window and grabbing a rope I didn’t notice before. “Wait, don’t go…!”

I let out a short yelp when he threw something at me. With my attention away from him, he disappeared into the night. Dodging it and looking where it landed, I saw that it was some kind of small tube with a button on it. What did that go to...? Although, I had a bad feeling I knew… When it hit the floor, the button wasn’t pressed was it?

The computer wasn’t saying anything. I let out a sigh of relief before quickly going near the window and looking outside. How did he do that so quickly? Up? Down? Where? And he took the rope, too?!

“I promise… I’ll come for you.” I whispered, staring out into the shadowy sky.

“Mi-Yeon, are you okay?!” Zen barged in with a face that looked like he gathered up all of the anxiety in the world. “What the hell happened?! Are you hurt?!”

“I-no-he…?” I stuttered out. My mind was suddenly in a whirl – the adrenaline fading away.

“You must be in shock, come here.” Zen tugged on my hand, pulling me out of the pile of glass that surrounded me. “I’ll pack up your things. We’re going to run.” He said while going to the backpack I left by the couch and shoved in my laptop.

Was it shock? I don’t think so…? Our light blue soul mate just broke through the window. Our seventh soul mate just exited the apartment the same way he came in. Magenta? Paradise? He knew Seven! And Seven betrayed and abandoned him?!

Maybe I was shock…

I don’t know how long I stood there, lost in my thoughts, but before I knew it, Zen hooked an anti-dust mask behind my ears and pulled up the hood of the hoodie I was wearing over my head. He grabbed my hand and pulled me out the door.

“Just trust me and run!” He yelled, rushing down the stairs and out of the building.

Where were we running? Are we going to go on foot the whole way?

One of the marks on my back just started to cool down. I instinctively looked over my shoulder. Some distance away, I thought I saw someone with white hair opening a car door.

What was that?

I slowed a bit.

“I’m sorry, are you tired? Do you want me to carry you? We should hurry so that guy can’t come back for you.” Zen urged gently. I ignored him for a bit, watching something white get closer.

“A cat?” I wondered aloud, stopping in my tracks completely.

“Mi-Yeon?” Zen called worriedly. He turned to look at what I was gazing at. “The fur ball?! What is it doing here?”

Elizabeth the 3rd meowed at us pleasantly when she caught up. She rubbed against my ankles so I picked her up and hugged her in my arms. Zen sneezed right away.

“We should tell Jumin.” I said softly, holding the cat a bit tightly so she didn’t go anywhere again.

“We were going to the jerk’s place, anyways. My place might be filled with angry fans and reporters.” Zen grumbled unhappily. “Come on, Driver Kim parked the car just around the corner.” He took one of my hands again and started jogging.

I looked over my shoulder just once more. The car was gone.

Until the day we meet again…

I promise I’ll find a way to come get you.

Jumin already alerted all of the security guards, so there were no problems going up to the penthouse. The minute Jumin opened the door; Elizabeth leapt out of my arms and curled up on the couch, meowing happily.

“Are you hurt? Should I call for a doctor?” The businessman asked instantly.

I shook my head negatively. They didn’t need to look so worried. It made my heart ache painfully to see them like this.

“Let’s go sit, hm?” Zen gently pleaded, putting a hand on my back and pushing me forward. “Do you want some tea? Water? … Do you want me to go get something?”

“No, I’m okay” I insisted, sitting down next to Elizabeth.

“You don’t have to act strong.” Zen sighed softly. “You’re such a nice person, Mi-Yeon.”

Normally, I think a person would be rather shaken up, their senses heightened to the max. That back there… was a kidnapping attempt, after all. Breaking and entering, and who knows what would have happened at ‘Magenta.’ But… all I could think about was how to save him.

Physically, I was fine. Mentally, I wasn’t quite shaken up.

Blind faith.

He wouldn’t hurt me. He was our soul mate. Even if he didn’t believe in such things, I don’t think he could have brought himself to hurt me.

How could I save him…?

I was brought back to the present when someone put a hand on my head and rubbed it.

“We’ll protect you. Just as you stood beside us when we were going through a rough time, we’ll be right here with you.” Zen said, kneeling in front of me. My hood fell from my head, making me realize I still had the anti-dust mask on. I reach up and took that off, placing it on my lap.

“Don’t look so worried, I’m all right. Really.” I replied. I looked up when Jumin entered the room again. When did he leave?

“I brought some tea. This flavor and scent is meant to calm you.” Jumin informed, setting the tray down on the coffee table. “Do you want something to eat?”

“Thank you, Jumin.” I smiled up at the two of them to ease their anxiety. “Anyways, look, we found Elizabeth.”

“Yes, but I’m happier that you seem all right.” Jumin said. “Are you certain you do not need a doctor?”

“Positive.” I reassured. “You’re going to keep her, right? I know you can be a good owner.”

Jumin sighed. The three of us went on to talk about Jumin being responsible for the cat and how he could become a good owner, especially with the rest of us by his side. I also think Jumin allowed the conversation to stray to this topic so I didn’t have to think about my encounter with Unknown.

“We should inform Luciel what has occurred.” Jumin coughed into his hand, sitting on the couch with Elizabeth in between us.

“When did Seven restore the system?” I questioned. I thought the place would blow up if an RFA member came in…

“I was already at his house, yelling at him to tell me the address. The minute he said it was fixed, I was already going to you.” Zen growled in frustration.

“I see. Don’t give him such a hard time, he did his best.” I soothed. “And Jaehee? Is she safe by herself?” I asked.

“I have already sent over bodyguards to her home, you don’t need to worry.” Jumin urged, pouring me a cup of tea. “You should drink this.”

I nodded gratefully, taking the cup. I relished in the warmth that enveloped my hands. Zen sat close to me, taking out his phone. I peered over, looking at what they were talking about. My phone was in my hoodie’s pouch, but it might make them feel better if I just drank my tea instead of handling anything more stressful.

 

**ZEN:** (;｀O´)o

**ZEN:** Seven you…

**707:** Gahh~ Scary person.

**ZEN:** You said she was safe… yeah right.

**ZEN:** The window was smashed in!

**707:** **（＊〇□〇）……！**

**707:** What?

**Jumin Han:** She is now safe at my penthouse.

**Jumin Han:** Make sure Yoosung stays safe at your home, as well.

**ZEN:** He was already gone by the time I got there, but something really bad could have happened!

**ZEN:** I’m sure it was the same man as the one in my prophetic dream!

**707:** How is that possible?! It’s bulletproof glass! And on the 14th floor??

**707:** If he was already gone, what happened? How is she?!

 

Zen and Jumin turned to me at the same time.

“I know you probably don’t want to remember, but can you tell us what happened?” Jumin asked, stroking a lock of my hair.

“He was talking about paradise… or something the whole time. He got scared when Zen started banging on the door and went back out the window.” I answered. They didn’t need to worry about anything else.

 

**ZEN:** YOU AND V ARE SO IRRESPONSIBLE!!

**ZEN:** She could have been kidnapped!

**ZEN:** Does that make sense to you?!

**Jumin Han:** Zen, keep composed. If you are not calm, she cannot calm down either.

**707:** Did she say anything about what he looked like? I can look into it.

 

“Bleached white hair, right, babe?” Zen asked softly, tilting his head down to be closer to me. I nodded. “Anything else? Seven will catch him for you so you don’t need to be scared.”

“Mint green eyes…?” I said questioningly. As pretty as they were, the eye color was a bit… strange. Artificial. “He had a tattoo… I think.”

Should I tell this to Seven? There were things I wanted to ask him in private…

“It’s common to forget little details from traumatizing experiences. Don’t over exert yourself.” Jumin advised.

“What was the tattoo?” Zen urged.

“An eye, I’m pretty sure.”

 

**707:** I’m so sorry T_T

**ZEN: …** I’ll stop here then, just for her.

**707:** I’ll just stay quiet like a sinner.

**ZEN:** Don’t just stay quiet and do whatever you can to find him!!

**ZEN:** Go there right now to collect evidence!

**707:** Okay…

**707:** Rest up.

 

“Should he go there by himself? It might be better not to.” I suggested. Although, I was sure Unknown wasn’t going back.

“I’ll tell him to go in the morning and send guards with him.” Jumin said. “My lady, why don’t you go to sleep? I’m sure you’re exhausted. The party is just a few hours away, as well.”

“Is that what’s important right now?” Zen asked dryly just before he sneezed three times in a row. “Ugh, I hate it here.”

The musical actor apologized as he retreated to the guest bedroom that Elizabeth, temporarily, wasn’t allowed into. Jumin let me freshen up in the bathroom and lent me his bed to sleep in once more.

Before going to bed, I sent Seven a text message.

 

_To 707: On the floor, there’s a switch that activates the bomb._

_From 707: Why didn’t you tell the others? I say that’s something pretty important…_

_To 707: I don’t want them to worry any more about me._

_From 707: …You’re okay, right? Are you scared?_

_To 707: He didn’t hurt me. I’m fine; you don’t need to worry either. I just want to make sure you pick it up so no one else presses it._

_From 707: You’re very calm about all of this._

_To 707: Because you’ll look into it for me. I trust you._

_From 707: I promise._

RFA’s residential hacker will be key to getting information. If I could wedge myself into the secretive bubble he kept himself in, maybe I could figure out how they knew each other and work from there. Would he tell me his secrets if I told him mine?

Hopefully, I could keep Seven out of it, too. He was my soul mate; I didn’t want to hurt him in the process of saving another.

Until the day we meet again, unlucky number seven.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since V's route has been released, is anyone going to continue reading this story? Or are we all too busy spending hourglasses and playing? xD
> 
> And Ray's chat bubbles are purple! What am I going to do now with my 'chat-bubble-color = soul color' concept >< lol


	23. Mi-Yeon Of The Stage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day Eleven
> 
> “Reporters, you have your work cut out for you today, don’t you?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a favor to ask of you guys~ I don't mind spoilers, but for the courtesy of other readers, if you would like to put a spoiler of V's route in the comment section, please add a warning (example: [spoiler]) before your comment. Thank you! :) Let's keep this up until... the end of September?
> 
> One more thing, my personal notes at the bottom of the chapter will contain what day I am currently on in V's route, if you wanted to know how far along I am in the story so we can share our thoughts ^^  
> It will also include my reactions to random points during my play through, HOWEVER, nothing I write will be a direct spoiler to the storyline itself. So it's safe for those who don't want to be spoiled~

 

As usual, she got there early to triple check that everything was going smoothly. Already, reporters, both invited and uninvited, crowded around the building where the RFA party was being held. The security team was having a troublesome time keeping all of the uninvited guests behind the security line. Fans of Zen. Anti-fans. Tabloids reporters.

Jaehee sighed. She looked over the guest list she received from MC and printed out. Really, MC did a remarkable job. Especially with only a week’s time and with all of the trouble the RFA gave the girl. Unfortunately, it was getting so rowdy outside that Jaehee had to hand over the guest list to one of the guards at the door and let them handle it.

“Gahh~!! Jaehee… Why are there so many reporters? I was almost crushed on my way here.”

Jaehee turned around and saw Yoosung stumbling towards her, trying valiantly to avoid bumping into anyone.

“I really had no idea we’d have this many people here…” Jaehee said slowly.

“Glam Choi and Sarah came too… The reporters are going crazy trying to get their photos.” Yoosung’s voice held a bit of disgust in it, to Jaehee’s surprise.

“Yes, I saw them earlier. Both of them seemed to be wearing chiffon dresses.” Jaehee sighed. Celebrities trying too hard to look like a celebrity, or at least ‘important and wealthy.’

Jaehee and Yoosung stood by the front doors, the furthest away from the stage in the back. The door opened, revealing the voices of the people screaming outside. Even when the doors were closed, everyone’s voice was loud enough to be crystal clear inside, too…

_“Yes, the musical actor Zen will be getting off that white car!”_

_“Actor Hyun Ryu, respect women’s rights!! Respect women’s rights!!”_

_“Stay away from Echo Girl! Echo Girl belongs to all of us! How arrogant to think a pretty face will make everything okay!”_

_“Hey! Shut up, you all! Zen! We believe in you!”_

_“Actor Zen has arrived!”_

Jaehee worriedly stepped towards the commotion. MC opened her eyes to many things, one thing being the world of fame. Even if the whole world seemed to be against you, a celebrity’s _true_ fans will always be with you, fighting along side you against popular opinion. It’s the celebrity’s job, not to just entertain, but to graciously accept their support and work hard to never let their faith waver and be in vain. Hearing Zen’s true fans yelling out their support against the anti-fans made Jaehee’s heart thump with warmth.

“Poor Zen,” Yoosung exhaled.

“Everyone, please stay behind the safety line! Area B3 requesting backup!” A security guard commanded, standing between the musical actor and the crowd. “This way, sir! The crowd is larger than expected so backup is on its way. People not authorized to enter the party hall, please back off!”

“Zen!” Jaehee called once he made it inside the doors. “I’m glad you made it through the crowd.”

“Jaehee! Yoosung!” Zen greeted back, no worse for wear. “Jaehee, aren’t you supposed to stay outside? I needed help…”

“Yes… But today’s an exception.” The woman sighed.

“Where’s you-know-who?” Yoosung asked, unwilling to speak her name with so many ears listening. “Is she okay after yesterday?”

“She’s fine. Thank goodness. But she’s amazing to have gathered so many people in such a short time.” Zen sighed out in both relief and amazement. “She went home early in the morning to get ready. She’s not here yet? Where’s everyone else?”

“Seven’s over in the quiet area set aside for the RFA.” Yoosung informed. “We came together but I think he wanted to do some check with the security cameras on his phone.”

“I thought I heard that V arrived, but I have yet to see him.” Jaehee added. “Mr. Han hasn’t been seen either, however Mr. Chairman is already here…”

“The jerk…”

“In any case, Zen, you have to go back stage for the press conference right now.” Jaehee urged.

“You’re right… I have to focus on the press conference for now.” Zen sighed while trying to gather all of his shattered confidence. “You two should go somewhere quieter until security calms things down. It’s pretty hectic around here.”

“Let’s go to Seven, Jaehee.” Yoosung suggested, gently grabbing Jaehee’s wrist. “Good luck, Zen. Tell us if you see Jumin back there.”

The musical actor waved goodbye, weaving his way to the back. Jaehee followed Yoosung’s lead, letting him keep her wrist in his hand so they didn’t get separated.

“Jaehee’s the only one you found?” Seven asked right when he saw the two of them pass the large archway into the quieter area.

“Zen went to the back to prepare.” Yoosung argued back playfully. “Find anything weird on the cameras?”

“Nope, we’re A-Okay today so far.” Seven said, although Jaehee could see he didn’t let his guard down.

“Ugh… Everyone’s making a fuss about lining up to take Glam Choi’s photo. And Sarah’s dressed for a red carpet event, too.” Yoosung huffed, looking at the buzzing reporters out in the main hall.

Suddenly, the voices outside got louder.

Jaehee turned to look out the nearest window, seeing a limousine pull up. First stepped out a man she didn’t recognize. The man held out his hand for his companion inside to take as they got out. A woman. The man held the female’s hand until she stood next to him, well balanced. He reached back towards the open door. Another young woman. . Jaehee thought she recognized the young women from somewhere…

_“What? Is that YeonYeon?”_

_“What are they doing here?”_

_“Hurry, take pictures! This is a huge scoop!”_

_“There’s a womanizer in there! Don’t bother attending!”_

The two women smiled and waved pleasantly at the crowd, like they were use to such mayhem and loud screeches. Their facial expressions were unflinching as camera flashes flared up rapidly. The man with them carefully kept close behind, protecting the girls from any stray hands but allowed them to be pictured fully. He then powered ahead to talk to the security guard with the guest list.

“You actually had MC invite that idol group you’re so obsessed with, Luciel.” Jaehee commented. “This isn’t a red carpet event or celebrity party. Although, I have to hand it to you, they are dressed less gaudily.”

She watched Yoosung and Seven look at each other questioningly.

“Has no one told her?” Seven asked, pointing his thumb at the assistant.

“I thought she already knew…” Yoosung said slowly.

They both turned to look at her.

“Knew what?” Jaehee raised a brow questioningly.

“Well that M-mfp!!” Yoosung started to say but his mouth was quickly covered by Seven’s hand.

“You’ll find out soon, I guess~” Seven sang happily, his arm holding out against Yoosung’s fruitless struggles.

Jaehee sighed. Typical Luciel fashion. She carefully looked around, trying to spot those girls. One of them disappeared…?

Before she could think on it more, someone tested the microphone in what she assumed to be a voice that was supposed to sound cute.

_“Ahem, ahem, mic testing. One-two. Hello, everyone~ Can you hear me?”_

“I don’t think Glam Choi should be speaking into the microphone.” Seven said dryly, dropping his hand from Yoosung’s mouth.

“What is she doing there?” Jaehee hissed, walking to the back to see how this happened.

_“First, I would like to thank you all so much for coming to this party. The reason why so many people have showed up is to celebrate two people who are starting a new life together.”_

Glam Choi went on and on about how lovely Sarah was and how the truth was about to be revealed.

“Where the hell is Jumin?” Seven asked. Like they shared a single mind, Jumin walked onto the stage.

Jumin’s speech was immaculate, as always. Jaehee noticed that he carefully avoided the topic of who his soul mate was, also avoiding how many he had. Which was the best option, for now. They needed to discuss things when everyone was together, especially concerning Zen’s public image. But he openly admitted that a soul mate changed him for the better. A beautiful person who warmed up his stone-cold heart.

Jaehee counted her lucky stars she made it to the back where only authorized personnel could enter just as Jumin revealed the truth about Glam and Sarah’s relationship. The truth that Luciel discovered in no time at all. Jaehee thought that it was pandemonium before, but now…

“Do you think they will even listen to me after that?” Zen asked, coming up to her.

“Oh, Zen.” Jaehee turned quickly, slightly startled. “The media was called in for both of you, today. Echo Girl is a pretty big name, so I’m sure they’ll be listening carefully.”

_“Security, my father looks very tired, so take him home. I would like to have dinner with him after the party. And Sarah… I suggest you leave the stage if you don’t want to completely ruin your reputation.”_

“This party has turned into chaos, right?” Zen sighed. “I feel bad, for making things turn out like this.”

“Yes… MC did such a good job. Look at all of the people that she persuaded to come. But I hardly think she will say you ruined the party. Where is MC, anyways? Any of us have yet to see her and it is well past noon now.”

“…MC? You still call her that?” Zen looked at her oddly then shrugged, distracted by what was happening on the stage.

_“Ugh… no…! I won’t leave you like this!!”_

_“Yes, we’ll see each other in court. I’ve given you the story you want… so now I will step down from the stage and allow someone else to share their truth.”_

“Trust fund kid is leaving.” Zen noticed, taking a deep breath to calm his nervous heart. “My truth, huh?”

“I will introduce you. Wait here.” Jaehee instructed. She patted down her outfit before coming out to the front. What did Zen mean by ‘still call her MC?’ Although now was not the time to think about such things, Jaehee couldn’t help but keep the thought in the back of her mind.

Jaehee slightly coughed into the microphone, getting the audience’s attention back to the stage. “Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the RFA party. We have more guests than usual here. I hope that this turns out to be a meaningful occasion for all of you. I’m sure some of you are confused regarding why we are holding a press conference for the CEO of C&R and a musical actor at a charity party. Some of you may know, but both are RFA members who are in the middle of controversies at the moment. As an organization, we would like to prevent any more false rumors from spreading about our own members and maintain the status of our organization. Of course, it is our opinion that this is all a misunderstanding. Please be your own judge of this matter. Then, I introduce to you another member of the RFA, musical actor, Zen!”

Jaehee stepped off of the stage, going back to where the other members stood to watch. There, she met up with Luciel, Yoosung, and Jumin. The media left Jumin alone for now to focus on Zen.

“Well done, Assistant Kang. You’ve worked hard to keep everything in order.” Jumin complimented with a nod. Jaehee felt her face heating up. He really has changed, she wasn’t used to compliments from him.

“Th-th-thank you.” She stuttered. Jaehee heard Seven suppress a laugh.

_“I ran away from home when I was in high school. It’s a bit funny talking about myself, but please listen. I have to explain.”_

“I thought V was coming.” Yoosung said angrily in a low voice.

“He came with me.” Jumin stated. “We carried in all of the photographs he is donating before I had to step up on stage. Then, however, he disappeared saying he had to meet someone.”

“Meet someone?” Seven asked in surprise.

Jaehee thought that was odd; didn’t V share everything with Seven?

“And our lady of the hour? I must congratulate her for this great party. She has invited excellent guests and seems very talented at this job.” Jumin asked, looking around.

“We saw her come in, but I lost sight of her in the sea of reporters.” Yoosung said worriedly. “Seven and I tried looking, but her manager only said she was fulfilling her job and not to worry.”

Manager? Jaehee was completely at a loss.

_“Uhm… The materials will be handed out. Just to quote a couple sentences she posted on her social media… Anyways, you can read the details in the press release. You can quote them on your articles.”_

Zen seemed uncharacteristically nervous up on stage.

“I’m so glad this is happening. I think everyone’s going to know the truth now.” Yoosung said. “Oh! The guy I found!”

“ _We have a witness who saw Echo Girl that day. Well, Mr. Kim?”_

In the end, Zen also avoided the subject of who his soul mate was and how many he had. When asked if he had found his soul mate or a girlfriend, he replied that the information was not relevant to the press conference, however, his soul mate would be someone very special to him. Someone who he would never betray. Someone he would love with everything he had.

_“Because acting is not just a job for me, it is who I am, my life. And if my life isn’t honest, then well, that would be horrible. I swear, that I did not lay a single hand on Echo Girl, and all the materials she released are false. This is the truth as well.”_

“Mr. Han, shall we conclude the press conference? Perhaps it will have more of an impact if you go up there to welcome everyone to the party?” Jaehee suggested, watching Zen put the microphone back in its stand on the podium and step off.

“Perhaps you’re right.” Jumin said with reluctance. “I should call V up there to say some things.”

Just then, the lights turned off for only a moment, however it was enough to astonish everyone to attention.

_“Welcome, everyone, to RFA’s party.”_

“This voice…!” Jumin said with surprise.

“It’s V! He’s up on stage.” Jaehee gasped. Speak of the devil.

“Huh? When did he get here?! No one else was backstage.” Zen asked once he was near the others, his eyes wide.

“Welcome to RFA’s secret corner.” Seven greeted. “How dramatic of V. That guy has style.”

_“Thank you all for gladly attending the party on such short notice. I am V, the head of RFA. Although I am the leader, it was the members of RFA who worked hard to make this party happen. Please give a round of applause for all the members who made this possible. Oh, they are all over there in the back.”_

Everyone, including the reporters and their cameramen applauded, turning to look at the group.

“Oh.” Jaehee inhaled, embarrassed.

“He’s looking at us.” Seven grinned, waving cheekily.

“What is going on?” Zen asked, trying to keep a smile on his face.

_“As you might know… RFA was found by me and my fiancée Rika. My love Rika unfortunately left this world two years ago, but it still holds that this organization was found with our love. Although she may no longer be with us, the love she left still drives RFA. So I wanted to take this opportunity to show the love. For all the precious members of RFA.”_

Jaehee felt her throat tighten. Yes, this organization was once all sunshine and smiles, founded with pure intentions. Even with all the secrets it now holds, she hoped one day that sun would shine once more.

_“I would like to introduce to you our newest member of RFA, the person who made today entirely possible. Are you ready, our new family member?”_

Everyone seemed to wait with bated breath. The sound of heels clicking against the floor echoed almost too loudly. V backed away from the podium, clapping his hands – making the audience follow suit.

Jaehee watched transfixed as the woman who stepped out of that limo walked onto the stage. The young woman smiled gently, nodding in thanks softly at the applause. Sweetly, she swept a lock of hair behind her ear while making her way up to the podium. Jaehee found her stage presence almost overwhelming. This calm aura permeating from the girl enraptured everyone’s attentiveness. Almost like she commanded the stage without saying a word.

_“Thank you, V, for the warm welcome._ ”

The soft laugh the girl let out made Jaehee’s heart skip a beat.

“V, you made it.” Yoosung said, almost in relief, as the photographer made his way to them.

“You are one for dramatics.” Jumin commented.

“I could say the same to you.” V laughed. “I enlisted a little help. We had to kick off the party somehow.”

_“I can see that some of you recognize me. Are you surprised? Haha~ Then, let me formally introduce myself.”_

Jaehee felt like she couldn’t take her eyes off of the young woman. The girl stepped to the side of the podium, taking the microphone with her as she slightly bowed to everyone in the room. So this was…

_“Hello, everyone. I am RFA’s guest coordinator, Mi-Yeon Cho. Let’s work hard together from now on.”_

There wasn’t even a hint of nervousness from the girl, only confidence and the sweet timbre of her voice.

“She’s so different on stage.” Zen commented. “I could almost believe the girl I met and this one are totally separate.”

“Everyone has a different face to put on depending on the situation.” Jumin remarked.

“And she’s used to the stage. This is in her element~” Seven caroled. “Besides, she was trained to be an emcee at one point. She hosted a season of a music show and an awards ceremony.”

“She’s even cuter in person…!” Yoosung said, almost in a trance.

“Her stage persona, then.” Zen nodded with conviction. “I would love to see her singing live.”

“Oh~~ Are you into those cold, sexy types? Are you an M? Or are you looking to melt her?” Seven suggested, wiggling his eyebrows.

Zen clenched his fist tightly.

_“Reporters, you have your work cut out for you today, don’t you? Please do your best to publish the best article you can. Mr. Jumin Han and Mr. Zen have put the truth in your hands, any further references you would like to make, please contact their respective representatives.”_

_“Question!”_

_“Yes?”_

_“How did an idol-pop singer like yourself join an exclusive group like RFA?”_

_“My recruitment into the RFA will be revealed in an official statement from Lux Entertainment. I will not be answering any further questions on the matter today, as this is not a press conference for myself. I sincerely ask and thank you for your patience. All will be publicized shortly.”_

The young woman was not the slightest bit phased as she bowed slightly again. Jaehee was impressed.

_“What today is truly about is to help those in need. That is the purpose of RFA’s charity parties. Everything gained from today’s celebration will be going to…”_

RFA’s new guest coordinator was named Mi-Yeon Cho. Jaehee had to go change the records.

“She’s doing an excellent job.” Jumin said, looking pleased.

“I’m surprised she memorized everything I gave her about the charity. She didn’t have a card or anything going up there.” V mentioned. “Or maybe I shouldn’t be surprised at all.”

“I’m sure she memorized the stuff given to her by her company, too.” Luciel shrugged.

_“RFA was found on everyone’s love here and on the importance of sharing values. Whether it’s making a donation, purchasing something that is auctioned, or talking to someone else to share a connection. Everyone, I hope you get a lot out of the party, as you’ve decided to come on such short notice.”_

That smile Jaehee saw her shoot at the crowd could enchant just about anyone.

What was wrong with her today…?

_“Our leader, V, has graciously donated quite a few photographs to be auctioned today. Before coming up here to talk to you all, I was viewing them myself. I can say with confidence that they are so beautiful. V, can I take one home? I know RFA members aren’t supposed to bid, but~”_

The light joke lightened the atmosphere further, pulling laughter from the guests.

“She barely looked at us…” Yoosung pouted.

“Probably doesn’t want to make eye contact right now.” Zen said under his breath, making sure no one else heard.

“Eye contact?” Jaehee questioned softly.

Yoosung tilted his head too.

“No one told you that either?” Seven asked in amusement, looking at Jaehee’s confused face.

“Told her what?” The blond asked, oblivious.

“Oh nothing~” Seven stuck out his tongue.

_“In addition to V’s photographs, YeonYeon is donating two autographed limited edition versions of our most recent album. There is a Seo-Yeon version and a Mi-Yeon version of the album to be auctioned today. The limited edition versions will be released to the public in three days time, so this is your chance to have it before all of your friends. Both albums have a brand new album cover, photo books, and photo cards. Everyone, please accept them with enthusiasm.”_

_“Gigantic scoop!! Oh lord!”_

_“Thank you for sending me here!”_

_“The auction will start in two hours. In the meantime, we’ve prepared champagne and treats for everyone, please enjoy. I heard that the cocktail shrimps are very good, so help yourselves.”_

Jaehee swore there were more flashes from camera’s than necessary when the young woman winked, extending her playful speech.

_“Thank you, again, for attending. We have a great turn out, don’t we? I truly, sincerely, thank you for making this party possible. Let’s continue to share our love and create magic to allow people to be happy.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Current Progress on V's route: Day 7 (I'm surprised I passed that checkpoint xD I thought I got the bad end for sure)
> 
> \- This makes me a terrible person, but can I give up on Yoosung? >< His character is a bit...  
> \- Zen's technology xD!!!  
> \- I have trust issues with games~ That one email that actually gave you the answer... I debated for so long ^^;;;


	24. How To Be A Good Party Host

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day Eleven
> 
> “For what was supposed to be a small party, this turned out to be pretty big.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yikes. Did you know there are a total of 71 guests (Casual Story + Deep Story) that you can invite? xD I didn't realize there were so many until I wrote this chapter and looked it up~

I stepped down from the stage towards the back instead of the stairs at the side. I didn’t want to get swamped by reporters, after all. In the back, I signaled that we wrapped up all of the press conferences and it was time to start the charity party. The venue employees gathered there went and took the podium away and helped the live DJ set up his booth on the stage. V told the DJ to play a mix of YeonYeon songs all day, even though I told him it really wasn’t necessary for the _whole_ event.

Cautiously, I crept out from the back. I think the others managed to organize the reporters into a more orderly fashion. Some of them might have left now that the press conferences were over with. Either way, it was starting to look like an official charity party. I walked into the main hall with confidence, ready for anything. As one of the hosts for this event, I needed to act the part.

…I’ve never been a party host before, though.

Was it like a being the host of a music show? I’ve done that before. Well, first things first…

How to be a good party host:

Don’t panic.

Ye-Jun came and found me, Seo-Yeon right behind him. He made sure I was all right and gave me a pat on the back. ‘I did well.’ I didn’t say anything that the label told me not to say and gave the reporters the safest response possible. The company, according to how the public responded to the press conferences, would adjust the publicized reasoning for how I entered the RFA. As much as I would like to be honest with everyone, I’m not sure how believable the truth was…

“Come to me immediately if anything happens.” Ye-Jun cautioned. “I’ll mingle around and see if I can get you girls any opportunities.”

“I’ll stay with Mi-Yeon so you don’t have to worry.” Seo-Yeon cheered, happily linking arms with me.

“We’ll go promote ourselves, too.” I said. “You should enjoy yourself, Ye-Jun.”

He didn’t reply to us, just waved his hand while walking away. Seo-Yeon and I silently laughed to ourselves.

“Well, we should get started, too.” Seo-Yeon suggested. “Should we go greet your co-hosts?”

“I haven’t met all of them in person yet, so I think I should avoid them for now.” I replied slowly.

“Is this what our advanced world has come to? Doing everything electronically and never meeting face to face?” Seo-Yeon sighed out dramatically.

“Welcome to the new age. Anyways, I need to greet all of the guests I invited.” I said, walking deeper into the crowd.

How to be a good party host:

Greet all of your guests individually.

“Oh, Ms. Cho, I had no idea you were so well esteemed.”

“Mr. Rui, hello. Thank you for coming.” I greeted pleasantly. The man held up his camera and took a picture – the flash catching the attention of some of those around us.

“I’m sorry, I hope you don’t mind me taking a picture.” Rui said sheepishly.

“Of course not. Please, be my guest.” I replied.

“Ms. Mi-Yeon, was it? Your beauty deserves to be captured forever. You’re almost as beautiful as myself. Your emails were quite charming, as well.”

“Mr. Christa Kim, the modeling agency representative, I’m glad to see that you made it. Thank you for coming.” I said, allowing the man to take my hand and kiss the back of it.

“Your partner is just as much of a splendor.” Christa charmed, doing the same to Seo-Yeon’s hand.

“Pleased to meet you.” Seo-Yeon smiled sweetly.

How to be a good party host:

Know your guests by name.

“I would love you two to join our agency. I’ve already heard of your experience in modeling, Mi-Yeon.” Christa suggested.

Another flash went off as Rui took pictures of our conversation.

“We would be more than happy to do some modeling jobs for you. But we also have a legally binding contract to our label.” Seo-Yeon said light heartedly.

“Mr. Rui, here, is an excellent photographer. Have you seen his work?” I asked. Maybe I can create a connection here.

We spent a few more minutes talking to the two of them before smoothly drifting to the next guests nearby.

“The Cultured Citizens Association. Welcome to the party. Your outfits are all divine. I especially love your handbag. May I guess Verragamo?”

“Ah, Mi-Yeon. Yes, you have a good eye.” The leader of the association said with pride. She carefully looked around.

“Jumin is just over there.” I said, gesturing to the other side of the room. “Between you and me, I heard he was quite excited that you ladies were showing up today.”

The woman coughed softly, trying to hide her eagerness. “I see. We will have to see him immediately. Excuse us.”

The moment the women blended into the crowd, Seo-Yeon whispered to me, “Aren’t you jealous?”

“I feel more apologetic than jealous.” I replied guiltily, although I kept a smile on my face.

How to be a good party host:

Spend a short, memorable, moment with each guest.

“Who’s he? He looks a bit lonely. It makes me just want to hug him.” Seo-Yeon cooed, gesturing with a chin nod towards the side. A young man stood by himself, leaning against the wall, his arms crossed.

“LOLOL Association head. His character name is Da Bomb, or something like that. Hmm…” I hummed, trying to stretch my body higher to look over the crowd. “Ah, there’s that guy. Let’s go greet him.”

As we walked, I took a small plate of food from a passing caterer and went over to the young man by the wall.

“Oh, YeonYeon. I didn’t expect it to really be you.” He said.

“Are you enjoying yourself?” I asked, handing him the snack. “Your gameplay is so aggressive, I didn’t expect you to be here all by your lonesome.”

He looked away shyly, but nonetheless took the food. “Well, you’ll only be dead weight to your team members if you’re not making any moves.”

“You must have a good DPS character.” Seo-Yeon commented.

“Of course. You have to do as much damage as you can, as quickly as you can if you’re on the frontlines. The tanks should be the ones to take all the damage.”

“That’s what they’re there for.” Seo-Yeon replied like she knew exactly what he was talking about.

“I have someone I want to introduce you to. Will you come with us?” I asked sweetly. He nodded, a little more confidently. I led him towards the middle of the room, spotting just the man I was looking for. “Oh, perfect, you two are together already.”

“Ms. Cho, thank you for inviting us.”

“Mr. Gukil Kim, thank you for coming. And you, as well, Mr. Softie.” I greeted. “This is Mr. Gukil Kim, guild master of the Blood Dragon Guild. And this is Mr. Softie, the host for the LOLOL World Championship Tournament. You two, this is the head of the LOLOL Association and the person behind the character Da Bomb.”

“I’ve heard of you! I would love to team up with you one day.” Gukil admired.

“Maybe you two will make it to the World Championship.” Softie added.

“Sure, I’d love to have a go at that team comp’.” Da Bomb said.

How to be a good party host:

Integrate shyer or quieter guests.

It took a long time, but I think I greeted all of the guests at least once. All the while carefully avoiding Yoosung and Jaehee. I wanted to meet them, I really did, but I can’t do it out in the open now. Especially with some of the reporters still milling around to cover the RFA party.

With all of the things I memorized between last night before the attack and this morning, I think my brain was fried. Between the information V gave me about the charity, the speech my label gave me, and the names and faces of all of the guests, I feel like I forgot the lyrics to my own songs just to make room.

“For what was supposed to be a small party, this turned out to be pretty big.” I sighed, gratefully accepting the glass of water Seo-Yeon handed me. Somehow, I managed to convince all of the guests the other members suggested. I also invited a few of my own guests, which put the total number of attendees just under a hundred. If we included the reporters, the party hall definitely had more than one hundred people in it.

“Too bad we can’t drink. We have a signing event after this.”

“And I think Ye-Jun said we have to practice for a couple hours too.” I added.

“Long day, huh, babe?”

The two of us looked behind me.

“Oh, Seo-Yeon, this is Zen. He’s your number one fan.” I introduced.

“That’s mean…” Seo-Yeon replied.

“Are you holding a grudge, babe?” Zen winced playfully. “It’s nice to meet you. Don’t overwork yourselves, you’ll make us worry.”

“Good to meet ya’.” Seo-Yeon smiled. “Take care of her for me, will you? She’s more of a handful than you think.”

Tch. I lightheartedly shoved her in the shoulder, making the two of them laugh.

Zen’s deep chuckle did funny things to my heart. “You can entrust her to us. You two look absolutely gorgeous, by the way.” He took both of our hands one at a time, and placed a greeting kiss on them. “Besides the fact that I just wanted to see you, Seven was looking for you.”

“Oh? What for?” I asked.

“It might be because Yoosung is pouting.” Zen shrugged. “Seven went to the hallway in the back.”

Yoosung was pouting? I looked towards Seo-Yeon.

“Have fun~” Seo-Yeon sang, waving her hand slowly to shoo me away. “But not too much. We have to look at least presentable for our schedules the rest of the day.”

“Just you wait until we get home.” I said with a tight smile.

“Oh, scary.” Seo-Yeon laughed, taking my shoulders and turning me towards the back of the banquet hall. “Get going.”

I shot one last glower at my best friend before weaving my way through the crowd. She and Zen seem to be hitting it off well. They were both extroverts, after all. It was probably easy to make conversation. I was glad. Some of the most important people in my life were getting along.

Making my way towards the back hallway, I looked around for a fiery red head. It was empty… I steadily walked further. Maybe he was around the corner?

Just as I was about to pass by a door, it opened. A hand reached out and took mine, pulling me inside. My body collided with someone else’s before I could react.

“Found you~”

“Seven, what are you doing, scaring people like this?” I asked. “And why are you in the security office?”

“I hacked in using my phone to see if everything was in order. I came here because the screens are bigger. You can see people’s faces in more detail.” He said cheekily, letting my hand go and taking a step back.

“I’m sure you have everything under control.” I replied, absently looking at all of the monitors. “Zen said you were looking for me?”

“Ah~ Right, right. You’re so mean, avoiding Yoosung and Jaehee like that~” He playfully pouted. “Sooooo~”

“So?”

“Let’s play a fun prank on Yoosung to get his spirits back up.” Seven cheered, pointing at one of the monitors. “He went to the bathroom just now.”

I suddenly had a flashback to all of those stereotypical high school movies where students flush another student’s head in the toilet. What were those called? Swirlies? In any case, that was considered bullying… I highly doubt that was what was on Seven’s mind.

“And what do you propose we do? I want to meet him, but the media isn’t giving us any breaks today…”

“I’ve checked around, and no one comes down this hallway. There’s a closer bathroom to the banquet hall on the other side.”

“Then why’d Yoosung go to this one?”

“I didn’t tell him about the other one.” Seven stuck out his tongue. “What I need you to do is…”

He whispered his plan in my ear even though we were the only two in the room – probably for dramatic effect. Something I expected of 707.

“That’s a bit…” I blushed softly.

“It’s fine, it’s fine! Yoosung will be as red as a tomato! You better go before he comes out. Make sure he doesn’t see you!”

With that, I was gently pushed out the door. I sighed in both amusement and exasperation.

How to be a good party host:

Be in cahoots with your cohosts.

…Well, sort of.

I quickly walked to the area just next to the bathrooms and waited, carefully hiding around the corner. I looked around. This bathroom was really far from the party… Yoosung falls for it every time…

Oh, he came out.

With his back turned to me, Yoosung started walking back to the banquet hall. Staying balanced on the balls of my feet to keep my heels from making any noise, I sneakily crept behind him. He was much shorter than Zen and Jumin. I think he was just under Seo-Yeon’s tall height. In my heels, I easily matched Yoosung’s height, which meant I was only a couple inches shorter than him. His smaller frame made me want to just hug him snuggly, but I wasn’t bold enough to do that… I haven’t even met the guy formally yet!

With such little height difference, I easily slipped my arms over his shoulders and covered his eyes.

“Hey! Who-“

Before he could panic more, I started softly singing the chorus of one of YeonYeon’s songs. It was one of our more popular songs from our new album, telling a story of finding that one special star in the vast galaxy. I stopped singing before finishing the last line from the chorus.

“Finish the chorus and I’ll tell you my secret.” I whispered sensually, my lips getting close to his ear. As Seven predicted, Yoosung’s face was getting flushed bright red.

“I-I… M-M-Mi-Yeon?”

“You can’t do that, Yoosung~, don’t say my name.”

Being so close to him, I felt him swallow nervously.

“U-Umm… Is it…” His voice was a bit hoarse as he recited the words.

“Oh~ I’m impressed. I thought you weren’t really a fan of ours.” I laughed delicately, my voice returning to its normal tone. I let my hands fall from his eyes and pat his shoulders. “As promised, I’ll tell you my secret. Well, I’ll show you.”

He turned around quickly, our eyes locking.

The both of us let out a whimper and fell to a crouch on the ground.

“Ow, ow, ow, ow…!” Yoosung hissed in surprise, reaching a hand behind his shoulder and gripping the fabric of his dress shirt.

“Are yours on your back, too?” I exhaled a pained breath. The crest that heated up was the lowest one. Our youngest member of the family. “I’m sorry, did that surprise you? Seven said it would cheer you up.” I got up, reaching out my hands to help him up.

Yoosung looked up at me with stunned awe, not making a move. It was my turn to swallow nervously. He liked me at least a little bit, didn’t he...? The longer the silence stretched on, the more I felt like crawling into a corner. Did he not like those types of girls? It was Seven’s idea, but still… I could perform it because YeonYeon has done those concepts before.

Er… Did this dress make me look strange?

As I was dropping my hands back to my sides, he reached out quickly and took them. Pushing himself up to his feet, he tugged at my hands and enfolded me tightly to his body.

“Thank you.” Yoosung mumbled into my neck, his lips brushing my skin. “Thank you for everything.”

“Yoosung…?”

Thank you? What was he thanking me for? I didn’t do anything special.

He suddenly jumped back, the blood in his body rushing to his face again. “Sorry! I shouldn’t just t-touch a girl like that.”

“No, that’s all right. I don’t mind.” I replied nonchalantly. If it was my soul mates, they can touch me as they please.

…That was suggestive. That’s not what I meant…

“But what are you doing all the way over here? Do you need to use the bathroom?” Yoosung asked innocently, tilting his head.

“Seven wanted to see you flustered.” I said bluntly. “He used me to do it. Oh, by the way, there’s a closer bathroom.”

“Seven…” He growled before letting out a big breath. “Well, I’ll let it go this time. He must’ve known about us.”

“I did meet him before this.” I reminded. I walked a little closer, putting my hand at the crook of his elbow tentatively. “Shall we go back?”

Yoosung gave me a big, sunny smile and nodded.

“Thanks to you, we have a lot of guests! Well, except all of the reporters everywhere.”

“For the most part, it’s been fun. Besides, I got to meet all of you, so a little more work was worth it.” I replied.

“We were like internet friends until now. It feels so different to see you in person.” Yoosung said cheerily. He then seemed as though he remembered something. “I can’t believe you’re actually… well… you.”

I giggled into my free hand. “What will it take for me to convince you? Should I sing for you? Dance? I can play the piano while you study.”

“Nothing like that.” Yoosung said sheepishly, scratching his cheek with a finger.

“Autograph? Selfie?” I guessed playfully.

Before Yoosung could reply, Seven jumped out of the security room, scaring the blonde into jumping two feet in the air.

“Did you like my surprise?” Seven chortled, seemingly hiding behind my back and putting his hands on my shoulders to keep me between him and the blonde.

“Why do you do this to me?” Yoosung pouted. “And Mi-Yeon, you too, for going along with it.”

“Because you’re so fun~” Seven caroled. “Your cheeks were so red~”

“I’m sorry, Yoosung. I’m not much of a prank person, but I just find myself going along with it.” I replied in amusement. I couldn’t let him know that he really was too adorable when flustered.

“There you guys are. The auction is about to start, we could use your help.”

The three of us turned to look at the speaker. In my astonishment, I accidentally leaned against Seven to support myself. Jaehee also seemed to fall to her knees the moment our eyes met.

“Jaehee,” Yoosung called out, hurrying to her side.

“Are you okay?” Seven asked, his breath tickling my ear with how close we were. He carefully wrapped an arm around my shoulders.

“Yeah, sorry. That surprised me.” I replied, shaking off the fire rushing through my veins. I took a step away to be a respectable distance, but I felt a little disappointment in my heart. “Jaehee, it’s nice to meet you in person, finally.”

Yoosung helped Jaehee to her feet, the woman trying to compose herself.

“She surprised me, too. Well, I guess you surprised us first…” Yoosung commented while making sure Jaehee could stand on her own.

“I see. I’m sorry for the sudden intrusion.” Jaehee said, clearing her throat in her fist. “I don’t know what to say. I am very happy right now. Very happy to finally meet you.”

“That makes me delighted to hear.” I replied sincerely, lightly skipping my way to her side. “What was that about the auction? I’ll help you.”

The two of us walked forward, going behind the stage. Seven and Yoosung followed us dutifully. There, we met up with Jumin and V, who were talking by the photographs.

“I’ll let you decide the starting bid. You know best.” V said.

“But wouldn’t the artist know the true value of their work?” Jumin questioned with skepticism.

“Sometimes seeing people enjoy our work is enough payment.” I interrupted lightheartedly.

“Oh, Mi-Yeon. I haven’t had a chance to greet you properly, yet, today.” Jumin said. “You’ve done a fantastic job thus far. I congratulate you.”

“We all worked hard on this together, didn’t we? I congratulate everyone.” I replied, letting Jumin tuck a stand of hair behind my ear in greeting.

“I never thought I’d see the day.” V chuckled. “What about your donations, Mi-Yeon?”

“My manager already set a starting bid on them.” I answered with a sheepish smile.

With that, the five of us started setting up a few easel stands and putting the photographs in order on top of the table. We had V sit out due to his worsening sight, especially with how dark it was backstage. As I put the easel stand with the first photograph on it by the opening towards the stage, I got a glimpse of the party we all worked so hard for. With the rest of us missing in action, Zen was making his rounds to all of the guests, keeping them entertained.

Just then, I saw the large front doors opened, revealing a limo letting out four people.

Oh!

“I’ll be right back, everyone.” I said, barely containing my excitement as I walked out before anyone could reply. I carefully danced my way through the crowd, giving the people who made eye contact with me a welcoming smile as I passed. Eventually, I made my way to the front, standing in front of our new guests.

“There’s my precious girl.” A man said, opening his arms.

“Mother, father.” I greeted, hugging my father. He squeezed me in his hold tightly before letting go. My mother grabbed me next.

“And how is our baby doing?” Yuuki, my mother, asked and laid a brief kiss on my forehead. “I had my manager check up on you this whole time. You’re album is doing well, isn’t it?”

“I did as well.” My father, Sujin, chuckled. Once I was out of my mother’s hug, I bowed respectfully to the two men who accompanied them – their managers.

“I didn’t know you could make it.” I piped up.

“I changed my flight to the earliest one right after my concert in London.” Yuuki admitted with a soft laugh. “I landed a little over half an hour ago. I was surprised you sent us such an invitation. With all the work you do for your album and school, and now another charity fundraiser? I had to come make sure you weren’t wearing yourself down.”

“I got in last night.” Sujin informed. “I was due to come back in a couple days, but cutting my small vacation after work short for you, princess, was an easy decision. And we feel terrible that we couldn’t make it to your showcase, so we had to at least make it today.”

My father patted my head affectionately.

“Mr. and Mrs. Cho, it has been too long.” Ye-Jun greeting us with Seo-Yeon in tow.

The conversation from there on was pleasant. My parents praised our album and thanked Ye-Jun and Seo-Yeon for taking care of me, apologizing for any trouble I caused. Ye-Jun brushed off the apologies, saying I was far less trouble than my partner. Seo-Yeon on the other hand just playfully complained.

“Just make sure you stay healthy.” Yuuki warned gently, brushing out my bangs with her fingers. “You know how proud we are of you, don’t you, baby?”

I nodded with a smile, quickly blinking away the sudden tears that coated my vision.

“I’m happy for you, Mi.” Seo-Yeon whispered, grinning at us.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> V's Route Progress: Normal Ending (But I know what happens in the Good Ending ^^;), Now I'm back to Day 2
> 
> \- 9AM chat on Day 9 - MC's new BFF xD
> 
> This is a warning for the comment section: [SPOILER] [SPOILER] [SPOILER] - I want to hear your opinions on Ray's fate, so I'm going to comment on my own story to do this ><


	25. Trending Jealousy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day Twelve
> 
> “She’s really on the move today.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Noona – “older sister” A friendly term used mainly by males to older females, related or not.

 

“Okay, Mi-Yeon. Let’s try the last verse next.” A voice said through the speaker.

“Got it.” I replied, adjusting the headphones I had on and concentrating on the recording microphone in front of me. Currently, I was recording the two TV drama OSTs. We already finished with the first song, both vocal and piano portions, now we were in the middle of recording the second one.

From the corner of my eye, I saw the door to the room open through the thick glass window in front of me. As I was singing, I didn’t have the spare concentration to look at who it was in detail, but it looked like a couple of people I was close to. We did a couple versions of the last verse to see which sounded the best. In between the takes, I waved at my new audience.

They were a couple guys from the seven-member boy group Limit Break, who were also managed by Lux Entertainment. Idols were generally close to each other with frequent music show appearances, however singers under the same label were especially close. We always had to work closely when the company decided to hold a showcase concert for all of their singers. Besides that, I was just particularly close to the boys of Limit Break. For many reasons, our relationship became the way it was during our training and debut days and has stayed familiar over time.

After another half an hour, we finally finished the recording session. Per usual, everyone thanked each other for the hard work before going about further business.

“Hello, you two. What are you doing here?” I greeted pleasantly, walking out of the recording room with the two Limit Break members.

“We finished practice and came looking for friends to take to lunch with us~” Il-Seong, one of the boys, asked cheerfully as he put his hands behind his head in a relaxed manner.

“Are you free, Mi?” Junseo, the oldest member and leader of Limit Break, questioned. He put a hand between my shoulder blades to lead me forward down the hallway.

“I’ve got a couple hours until my next schedule.” I agreed easily.

“Great! The others are going to meet us in the lobby.” Il-Seong cheered. “MiSeo Foodie! MiSeo Foodie! By the way, what was the song for?”

“Drama OST.”

“Ehh~? Another one? You’ll be OST queen soon.” He laughed. “Is Seo-Yeon around? We’ve only found you so far.”

“She’s recording a variety, talk show.” I replied. “You’ll have to settle with just me, Il-Seong~”

“With the other five of us, you’re more than welcomed company.” Junseo chuckled. We made our way to the lobby where the other members waited around.

“Did you guys not find anyone?” Il-Seong pouted, eyeing the group of boys.

“We invited an actress- _noona*_ but she declined.” The youngest, Joon-Ho, replied. “Even our staff turned us down.”

“I liked Mi-Yeon the best, anyways.” Eunjung, another member, joked, coming over and putting his arm over my shoulders, pushing Junseo’s hand away. “Shall we go?”

“You guys don’t have schedules?” I asked as we walked out of the company building.

“Ugh, don’t wound us like that.” Il-Seong cried dramatically.

“You know we won’t get a comeback until at least the end of the year.” Ash, their American-born member, sighed. “We’re only practicing to get a head start for the label’s summer activities.”

I looked at him apologetically. No matter how much an artist wanted to work, it was impractically for a company to release full Korean albums for the same group so close together. It was even more impractically to promote their singers at exactly the same time.

Singing promotions aside, I knew they were busy despite being able to all gather today. Acting, radio DJs, TV hosts, they did it all. Limit Break was a very popular group, probably the label’s highest grossing group, surpassing the senior boy group despite only debuting a little before YeonYeon.

When we entered the chosen restaurant, we made quite the stir. There were eight of us, after all. The group was difficult to miss. Through lunch, we comfortably talked about this or that, nothing unusual. The eight of us decided to post things to our social media accounts – pictures of the group, of our food with us making strange faces in the background, or short videos of Dae-Jung and I playing rock-paper-scissors to see who got the last piece of our shared appetizer. They wanted me to have it because it was ‘polite.’ I won, but since Dae-Jung was a big eater, I took a small bite out of the appetizer and fed him the rest of it.

In the middle of lunch, my phone that I placed beside my main course started ringing.

“Jihu? I didn’t know you knew him.” Junseo commented, leaning towards me from his seat next to me to read the caller ID. Jihu was a member of another boy group from a different company. “Pick it up, we don’t mind, right guys?”

“Scandal?” Il-Seong asked, raising his eyebrows suggestively.

“Oh, be quiet, you. I don’t say anything about you talking to Hana.” I teased. Even though the other guys surely knew, they still made that ‘ooh’ sound and laughed. “Hello?”

Instead of being greeted with another form of greeting, all I heard was loud cheering. Even Junseo and Joon-Ho, who sat on either side of me, heard it.

_“Mi-Yeon! Mi-Yeon, thank you!”_

“Are you on a variety show or something?” I guessed in amusement.

_“We needed to call someone who recently released a song. No one was picking up!”_

I laughed softly, “Did you win?”

 _“Thanks to you~ Sorry for calling you out of nowhere…”_ Jihu said bashfully.

“This is only the second time you’ve called me. And to use me like this…” I teased.

In the background I could hear ‘Eh?! This is only the second time you’ve called her? Why do you even have her number?’ Then that same TV host took the phone. It must be on speaker. _“Mi-Yeon, longtime no see! You’re never on variety~”_

“I’ll start going with Seo-Yeon from now on.” I lightly promised.

_“What are you doing right now?”_

“I’m having lunch with Limit Break. Guys, do you want to say hi to ‘ _We Challenge You’_?” I put the phone on speaker and placed it in the middle of our table.

“Hiiiii~” “Hello.” “We Challenge You to a duel!” “Hello!”

“1,2,3,” Junseo, the leader, counted down.

The group then automatically chanted, “Breaking all the limits. We’re Limit Break!”

It was a good thing we had a private room in the restaurant…

 _“Wooow!”_ The group on the other side cheered, clapping alongside their voices.

 _“Do you guys want to come play with us? We’re going to Lotte department store next.”_ The TV host asked.

We were actually fairly close to there. I looked to my companions for an answer.

 

 **Yoosung:** Mi-Yeon still hasn’t come online…

 **Jaehee Kang:** Yes, I was hoping to congratulate her again for yesterday.

 **Jaehee Kang:** The amount of funds we raised was incredible.

 **Yoosung:** Where’s Jumin? He hasn’t been here since this morning.

 **Jaehee Kang:** Other than dealing with the aftermath of yesterday’s press conference, Mr. Han is conversing with his lawyers.

 **Yoosung:** Oh.

 **Yoosung:** (^～^;)ゞ

 **Yoosung:** Zen, too, I guess.

 **Yoosung:** Minus the lawyers…

 **Jaehee Kang:** He said Mi-Yeon left him a curious message late last night.

 **Jaehee Kang:** I wonder if that is what is keeping him busy.

 **Yoosung:** Curious message?

 **Yoosung:** ｢(ﾟﾍﾟ)

 **Jaehee Kang:** I’m not too sure either…

 **Yoosung:** I hope Mi-Yeon wasn’t working until that late yesterday…

 **Yoosung:** She seems busy today, too, or else she would’ve at least come say hi.

 **Yoosung:** Right?

 **Yoosung:** *sigh*

 **Jaehee Kang:** Do not type out your action.

 **Jaehee Kang:** Perhaps Seven’s habits really are contagious…

_707 has entered the chatroom_

**707:** H

 **707:** E

 **707:** L

 **707:** L

 **707:** O

 **707:**!

 **707:** Oooh~ Is little Superman Yoosung missing the princess?

 **Jaehee Kang:** It’s like he gets a notification when his name is spoken…

 **707:** Worry not! Our damsel is not in distress!

 **Yoosung:** ｢(ﾟﾍﾟ)

 **707:** <photo of Mi-Yeon smiling with Junseo> “Caption: Breaking the limits of lunch with Limit Break ^^”

 **707:** <photo of food with Il-Seong and Eunjung making funny faces> “Caption: Yum~”

 **707:** <photo of the group with all of their food> “Caption: I’m stealing a bite of Mi-Yeon’s. Don’t tell her XD>

 **707:** <video of Mi-Yeon winning rock-paper-scissors and then feeding Dae-Jung the rest of the appetizer> “Caption: She didn’t mean to win LOL”

 **707:** Taken directly from Mi-Yeon and the members of Limit Break’s Instagrams~

 **Yoosung:** Looks like she’s having fun…

 **Yoosung:** Where’s Seo-Yeon? Mi-Yeon’s the only girl…

 **707:** Mi-Yeon has been close to the guys of Limit Break since forever.

 **707:** Don’t be jealous~

 **Jaehee Kang:** Yes, she does not seem like the type.

 **707:** Oh! More news! The common folk have spotted a variety show!

 **707:** The netizens have spoken!

 **707:** Trending: “Surprise guests on _We Challenge You_ ”

 **707:** <video of idols dancing to each other’s songs #1>

 **707:** <video of idols dancing to each other’s songs #2>

 **707:** <video of idols dancing to each other’s songs #3>

 **Jaehee Kang:** I’m impressed they know each other’s dances

 **Yoosung:** (〇o〇；)

 **Yoosung:** Mi-Yeon is good at everything

 **Yoosung:** Is Lotte close to me? I always end up going to C&R’s department store.

 **Jaehee Kang:** Lotte is not very close to SKY

 **707:** It’s about as far from you as Zen lives away from Jumin.

 **707:** ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯

 **Jaehee Kang:** If you want to see her, why don’t you call her?

 

My phone started buzzing in my hand. I got into the van Ye-Jun had running and settled into my seat before looking at it.

“Do you want me to stay with you?” Ye-Jun asked.

“It’s all right, you can go back to Seo-Yeon.” I said, answering the phone and putting it by my ear but waited until Ye-Jun replied.

“I knew you would say that, you were always the independent one. I asked for more security guards incase. And I’ll stay for half an hour, and then I’ll go back to Seo-Yeon’s filming set.”

_“…Hello?”_

“I got it. Be careful driving.” I cautioned. Having individual activities at the same time really strained Ye-Jun sometimes.

_“What?”_

“I’m sorry, Yoosung. I was talking to my manager.” I apologized.

 _“Oh, are you busy? I can call later.”_ Yoosung asked worriedly.

“I’ve got a little travel time.” I was on my way to a fan-sign event for the clothing brand I modeled for. After my fun time with _We Challenge You,_ the boys of Limit Break and I went back to the company building and left to do our own things. “What’s up?”

 _“I just… wanted to hear your voice today.”_ He admitted sheepishly. _“I saw you had a fun lunch. And… You dance well, even to boys choreography.”_

“That’s online already?” I winced playfully. “Thank you, but Seo-Yeon is our lead dancer.”

_“Really? You looked like a natural with all of those guys…”_

Yoosung always made me blush in the littlest ways. Was he jealous? He sounded jealous… He didn’t need to be, but why did that make my heart flutter? “Why don’t we hang out and do our homework together? After, you can teach me how to play LOLOL and we’ll go through a dungeon.”

_“Yeah, that sounds good! I can’t wait for you to meet the guild.”_

“You wanted to get your TOEIC scores up, didn’t you? If we don’t finish our homework, I’ll change your language settings to English and ask Seven to lock it like that.” I teased in amusement.

_“You’re unexpectedly evil…”_

 

“She’s really on the move today.” Zen muttered to himself as he looked through the trending news on his phone. Evening was fast approaching now, but Mi-Yeon’s workday seemed to just be reaching its peak. Online, there were many pictures and videos of the girl making a surprise appearance to a male K-Pop singer’s flash concert. He recently released a solo album, away from his group. To promote the album, he received the opportunity to film a short reality show. The producers apparently had him hold a small, surprise concert.

Mi-Yeon lent her voice for the title track of the album. Much to the male singer’s amazement, as he was singing the song, Mi-Yeon appeared from the back just in time to sing the portion she was featured in.

“Zen?”

“Yes!” He said, standing to attention. Zen quickly stuffed his phone in his back pocket.

“He will see you now.” The secretary said politely, gesturing towards the imposing doors in front of him.

Zen nodded, swallowing a nervous lump. Last night, Mi-Yeon texted him asking if he were willing to take a - small, tiny, almost miniscule – handout from her. He promised himself that things like this wouldn’t sway him anymore… but she was different. He could trust her. Like he trusted Jumin and his dumb cat food line. Although he heard that Jumin was going to have YeonYeon model for the teacup company… Maybe he really should switch with them…

Anyways, Mi-Yeon asked the director of the drama she was singing a couple OSTs for to give Zen the chance to audition for a small role. The character would only have a handful of lines, at most, but she justified it by saying it would be a start onto the small screen. Not that she needed to justify it. Zen was truly grateful.

The drama was also no small feat either, he found out. It was almost ready for filming, and the cast seemed like an all-star team. The behind the scenes staff was also top notch. Having Mi-Yeon sing two of the songs was proof of that. Just getting the chance to act with this cast and crew was a huge stepping-stone for him.

Not that he got the role, yet. He was here, at this daunting office, to audition.

“Zen, was it? Welcome. You were in quite the scandal recently, I hear.” The director greeted.

“That… was…” Zen trailed off.

“You don’t need to say anymore. Anyways, sorry for the unprofessional setting – I know it’s not where auditions usually take place, but we are on a bit of a time crunch. And I can’t say no to Mi-Yeon asking so nicely for such a small favor after I personally requested two songs and a piano piece. As you should know, I never promised her to give you the role. We were actually going to scrap this character; he only has a couple scenes in the whole storyline.”

“I understand.” Zen replied, swallowing nervously. What was he so nervous for? He was used to this! This has been a part of his life for years now!

“I didn’t look into any of your past experiences as an actor or such, since this is a favor to a very popular woman who I hope to work with in the future. To tell you the truth, until your scandal, I’ve never heard of you before. However, Mi-Yeon did assure me that you were very good. Don’t disappoint me, kiddo.”

Disappointment… Maybe that was it. He didn’t want to disappoint Mi-Yeon after she went through the trouble to even get him this audition. Although, he did feel a bit of a possessive twinge with the way this director was talking. Zen was sure Mi-Yeon would say it was just business, but that didn’t make the feeling any less potent.

 

“And that solves all of our fan theories today!” The primary host said, clapping their hands. “Thank you to all of our guests and our surprise visitor, Mi-Yeon, for helping us solve our case. Until next week, this is…”

“Case Closed!” The guests and other hosts cheered out, also clapping.

After thanking everyone and congratulating each other on a job well done, Seo-Yeon and I hopped into our van.

“I’m tired. And it’s already past eleven o’clock.” Seo-Yeon sighed, leaning her head back onto the headrest. “And didn’t you have something to do?” She turned to me.

“Everything I needed to be at the flash concert for finished before your shoot did. Since Ye-Jun picked me up, we just came here. And you didn’t have to call me out like that. I would’ve just happily stood within the staff.”

“Where’s the fun in that?” Seo-Yeon stuck her tongue out playfully. “Anything else we have to do today, Ye-Jun~?”

“Not unless you girls have plans.” He replied, shifting the car into drive.

“I’ve got homework to do, so I would like to go home.” I piped up.

“My bed is calling my name.” Seo-Yeon informed us.

“Then that ends your schedule for today. Job well done, girls.”

When we made it safely inside our apartment, Seo-Yeon headed straight to the bathroom to wash up while I prepared a quick dinner for us. As I waited for the rice to cook, I absently clicked on the RFA app. I haven’t had anytime today to talk to them.

 

 **MC:** Strange, no one’s here…

 **MC:** I thought everyone was a night owl.

 **MC:** o(╥﹏╥)o

 **MC:** …

 **MC:** Ehhh~? You guys were talking about me?

 **MC:** That’s why Yoosung called?

 **MC:** I wonder how your days were.

 **MC:** Mine was pretty busy, but nothing unusual.

 **MC:** …

 **MC:** It’s quiet in here…

 **MC:** Rice~ Cook faster~

 **MC:** I think the 10th floor maid thinks us celebrities starve. She left us some side dishes again.

 **MC:** I should’ve made extra rice yesterday so we could just heat it up…

_707 has entered the chatroom_

**707:** Don’t play in here by yourself~~~~

 **707:** You seem so lonely~

 **707:** Ｏ(≧∇≦)Ｏ

 **707:** Fear not! Seven Zero Seven, the Defender of Justice, is here to save you!

 **MC:** My hero~

 **MC:** (*⌒∇⌒*)

 **707:** Hahaha you always play along so cutely~

 **707:** It’s good that you’re here! I have some news for you!

 **MC:** What kind of news?

 **707:** Jumin and I convinced V to remove the bomb!

 **707:** The hacker went MIA after that night before the party; even I’ve been having a hard time just keeping an eye out.

 **MC:** …I see.

 **707:** You don’t need to be scared! They’re deliberately hiding themselves now, so it’s unlikely they’ll come back.

 **MC:** You’ll protect me, right? I’m not scared~

 **707:** Of course!

 **707:** Well, anyways, I’m going there tomorrow to remove the special security system.

 **707:** Soooo~~

 **707:** After tomorrow, your workspace will be totally safe!

 **707:** Ｏ(≧∇≦)Ｏ

 **707:** I’m going to add more security cameras too, so don’t do anything I wouldn’t do in there ;)

 **MC:** That means I can do anything I want~

**707:** **（＊〇□〇）……！**

**MC:** Oh! If you’re going tomorrow, let me go with you.

 **707:** Why?

 **707:** Awww do you miss me? <3

 **MC:** Welllll that’s not wrong~

 **MC:** But in our mad dash to run out of there the night before the party, I left a textbook behind.

 **707:** I don’t know, Mi-Yeon. The security system is still up and running. I can get it for you.

 **MC:** But you fixed it, didn’t you? I trust it. Besides, I get to see you, if only for a few minutes~!

 **707:** …All right. Fine. You don’t need to act so cute.

 **MC:** Yay~

 **MC:** I have to attend my classes tomorrow and my professor needs to see me afterwards, so I’ll be free a little late in the afternoon.

 **707:** That’s fine; I’ll go when you’re free.

 **MC:** Okay ^^

 **MC:** Oh~ My rice is done~!!!!!

 **707:** You’re only having dinner now? It’s midnight.

 **707:** (╥_╥)

 **707:** Yoosung and Zen will be so mad~ And watch out for Jumin’s lectures on regular eating habits. Jaehee knows better than to lecture, but she’ll be sad about it too.

 **707:** (╥_╥)

 **MC:** At least I’m eating, though~ I doubt I can do homework on an empty stomach.

 **707:** I wonder if Yoosung is doing his homework…

 **707:** ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯

 **707:** Don’t overwork yourself!

 **MC:** I’ll try! Good night, Seven~

 

In the midst of doing some last minute homework assignments, I heard my phone ping with a new notification. Picking up the device, I looked at the new text message.

 

_From V: Mi-Yeon, what is the passcode to the apartment?_

_To V: 0909. Why didn’t you ask Seven? I thought you two talked today. Are you going to go in there?_

_From V: I thought you might have changed the passcode from the one Luciel knew. I was thinking of truly turning it into RFA’s office at a later date. I will have to look over the secured documents in there, as well._

_To V: I see. Sounds like a good plan to me._

_From V: One more thing: Thank you. And please look after them for me._

Those who speak don’t know. Those who do not speak know.

I asked myself again: what did V know?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Progress: Well... Here I am again... Day 10.
> 
> I realized this on my first run through of this route, but it has become REALLY noticeable on my second run... EVERY SINGLE chat and story mode are EXTREMELY long. With the exception of a few on the night of Day 9 and the morning of Day 10. Otherwise, they are so so so packed with detail.  
> 2:30AM chat, please let me sleep xD
> 
> I didn't answer some of the comments on the last chapter so those who didn't want to see the spoilers didn't have to risk going back to the comment section. Hope you guys understand~


	26. Mi-Yeon Of The Darkest Corner

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day Thirteen
> 
> “I’ll hurt them with the truth if I have to, so just try me."

“Remember that your final assessments are just around the corner. It’s best to start practicing your performances as early as possible.” The professor droned on as he cleaned up the front. “That concludes class for today.”

Everyone stood up and thanked our professor before packing up our materials. I made my way out of the classroom, putting my sunglasses on top of my head. I took out my phone from my bag and called Seven.

_“You have reached God Seven. What is concerning my loyal follower today?”_

“Just wondering when your loyal follower can have an audience with you.” I played along. “My professor decided he didn’t need to see me after class, so I’m about to leave campus.”

 _“Hohoho I wonder how much commotion I could make if I came and got you~”_ Seven laughed.

“I’m not that popular around here. I’m sure they wouldn’t even care anymore.” I replied easily while shifting my sunglasses down to my eyes.

_“You aren’t? But your autograph sold for a lot…”_

“Oh? Did it now?”

_“Hehe~ I’ll meet you at the apartment. If you hear a computerized voice start counting down, get out of there and move at least one-hundred meters away from the building.”_

“…I’ll keep that in mind.” I said slowly. “Drive safely.”

_“Call me if you get hounded by crazed fans and need the Defender of Justice to come save you!”_

“I’ll keep that in mind, too.” I giggled. We said our farewells as we hung up the phone call. I carefully made my way through the public transportation system, hoping no one recognized me. A few people did, and I ended up taking selfies with them, but nothing crazy.

The route I took to Rika’s apartment now seemed so familiar. I could probably make my way there with my eyes closed, although I wouldn’t recommend doing so. As I pressed in the passcode, I listened carefully to anything inside. It didn’t sound like anyone was there. I guess Seven was still driving over. Maybe he had to park his car a few blocks away again just incase his intelligence agency wanted to track him.

My hands felt a little gross after touching all of the support rails on public transportation, so I decided to wash up a bit in the bathroom. As I passed by, I saw my textbook on the ground in between the couch and the coffee table. At least it didn’t look like it took weather damage from the broken window. Which, by the way, Seven seemed to have gotten fixed up.

The guy really worked quickly.

After I finished washing my hands, I found myself looking over my appearance in the mirror. Even if Seven was hiding something about our last soul mate, I still, subconsciously, wanted to impress him. While I was smoothing out my hair, I heard the door open.

It was when I was about to open the bathroom door and greet him that I heard the jangling of keys. My hand stilled on the doorknob. I would have just assumed they were his car or house keys, but that was definitely the sound of a lock clicking open. What was he opening? Was there even anything to open with a key in the apartment?

Was it even Seven?

A drawer thudded dully against the end of its rail – extended to the maximum length.

A drawer?

I wracked my mind for any drawers I’ve seen in the apartment.

… The ‘off limits’ drawer? The small one connected to the desk? Hm… What was supposed to be in there again? More guest information?

Seven didn’t have a key to any drawers… I think that was the only one with a lock in the first place.

V?

Rika’s ghost?!?!... No, no, no – why would a ghost need a key? Or come through the front door?

I opened the door with as little noise as possible. I even stood on my toes to limit the noise of my steps. Peering around the corner, I found a familiar man with bright hair rummaging through the paperwork. I had to be careful sneaking up on him. He was a man going blind, meaning his other senses would be sharper.

He must be too engrossed in organizing which files to take – he didn’t seem to sense me at all. I got behind him, looking around his body. A flyer? That huge logo on the top was hard to miss. And I know I’ve seen it somewhere once before.

“Mint Eye, huh? It’s not called Magenta then?” I asked in the most neutral voice I had. V jumped, his body nearly colliding with mine in his surprise. He didn’t even bother to say a word as he tried to gather the papers. I slid my arm between his and put my hand on top of the stack, ignoring any paper cuts I might get. “Care to share your secret?”

“Mi-Yeon, you surprised me.” He composed himself.

“Of course, because it looks like you really tried to hurry here to beat Seven and me. You’re sweating quite a bit.”

V turned to face me, leaving the papers on the desk.

“Let’s not talk about this right now. Please, Mi-Yeon, trust me.” He begged.

“Hmm… I’m not the others. I haven’t known you for a considerable amount of time and I don’t feel the same loyalty towards you.” I pressed. “So? Are you the leader? Are you just pretending to protect the others?”

“No!” V raised his voice just slightly before calming down and looking away. “Mi-Yeon-“

He was a gentle soul, one without a bad side hidden in the corners of his mind.

I’ll take advantage of that.

“Would it hurt you, to lose the family you’ve had for years? It would be easy to turn them against you, you know that, don’t you?” I reached around, pressing my other hand against the desk on the other side of him and getting close, barring him in.

“You’re using our friends as a threat to me?”

“And who would they believe in more?” I asked in return. “Who’s Unknown? And why does Seven know him?”

I felt V’s body stiffen against my arms. “How do you know that?”

“How?” The practiced devilish smirk came in handy. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

V bit his lip. “You’re not usually like this…” He shivered. “It’s like… you’re a different person.”

“Everyone has a different face to put on when dealing with different people.” I replied. “You don’t talk to your siblings the same way you do to your employer, do you?”

“When… did you ever need a personality like this? What were you protecting yourself from?”

“That’s for me to know…” I trailed off. “But I’ll protect them no matter what, even if it’s from you.”

“Then we have the same goal.”

I narrowed my eyes. If that was true, then why was he connected to Mint Eye? Why send Seven on a chase that he already knew the answers to? Who was he covering for?

Helping Mint Eye? Stopping them?

V was full of contradictions. Keeping Mint Eye and RFA separate, but letting Seven get close by hacking into the details.

…What was he doing exactly?

My phone suddenly pinged with a notification.

“Seven will be here soon.” I drawled out, taking a peak behind him at the papers. A blueprint and a journal were amongst the things V wanted to take with him. “So let’s make a deal.”

“Deal?”

“I’ll get you out of here without Seven knowing any better. With all of Rika’s dirty secrets. In return, you tell me everything and we’ll go to Mint Eye together.”

“No, you can’t. That’s dangerous. Please, stay here with the others.” V pleaded, putting his hands on my shoulders.

“Then what can I get Seven to dig up for me?” I asked rhetorically. “It will probably hurt him more than just dealing with this ourselves. And the others hold Rika in such high regard. How much more will it hurt them if I blurt out that you’re a liar?”

“You wouldn’t…”

“I’ll hurt them with the truth if I have to, so just try me, V. Everything you’ve done until now will be useless if their feelings aren’t spared, right?”

The keypad outside started beeping as someone pressed the code.

V swallowed thickly. “I don’t care if you hurt me, but don’t hurt them.”

“Deal.” I said, moving swiftly away from him and tugging his arm. Not that I would hurt them anyways. “There’s no security camera in the bedroom. Go. I’ll deal with the papers.”

“Mi-Yeon? Is that you?” Seven called out, opening the door. “Are you talking to someone?”

“Seven~! You made it. Nah, I was reading lyrics aloud.” I replied, gathering up the papers and closing the drawer softly, locking it in the process. From the corner of my eye, I saw the bedroom door close. I noticed V’s phone on the desk – probably how he bypassed the alarm system on the drawer. I quickly hid the phone behind the papers I clutched to my chest.

“Oh~? Can I see?” Seven asked, setting down his equipment and holding a hand out for the things in my hand.

“Secret project.” I winked. “I’m under a hush-hush contract.”

“Even if you’re caught by the law, I can erase your name.” Seven wiggled his eyebrows. I laughed with him but stubbornly kept the papers to my chest. “What are the keys for then? Music?”

“Haha,” I replied dryly. “I’m keeping this in close proximity and ended up fidgeting with them in my hand. I thought I lost these forever. I found them under the couch with my textbook.”

I felt my body become a little hotter.

“Oh good, so you found your textbook.” Seven said. “I thought the wind would’ve taken it out the window.”

“…Wouldn’t that be some kind of typhoon?” I asked dryly. The textbook was rather large… Winds that strong…

“You never know with Mother Nature~” He laughed while setting up his equipment. “I’m going to monitor everything through this, but maybe you should leave just in case.”

“It’s fine, it’s fine.” I sang, sitting down next to him and carefully slipping the papers and cell phone into my backpack. “I want to know more about you.”

“Like what?”

“Hm… I don’t know. Whatever you feel like telling me, I guess. Of course, I would share something about myself too.”

“I can’t believe that you’re getting to me.” Seven uttered to himself. “Why do you like me? Everything that surrounds me will disappear from the temporary life created by a secret agent named 707.”

“I like the person that’s in front of me. There’s no reason, that’s just how I feel. It doesn’t matter what your name might be. And for the person I cherish, I’ll do anything so they won’t disappear. Regardless of how complicated your life is I want to know.”

“…I’ll tell you a little while I work. Tell me immediately if my computer starts giving a warning.” Seven said, walking to the desk. I nodded to him. “My biological father has a lot of power. He had children out of wedlock with my mother. Well, I’ll spare you the details, but she was an alcoholic and pressured my father into sending her a lot of money. Because of that, we were never safe. In order to get out, V suggested I join the intelligence agency. If I threw away my name… well, someone important to me could be safe. V and Rika promised.”

“Are they doing well? This important person you treasure.”

“Hmm…” He hummed while opening the big drawers that were settled just behind the desk. “I can only hope… Since then, I haven’t seen him.”

“Because you sacrificed everything for him, I’m sure he’s doing well.” I said. They were empty words, but sometimes just hearing them could make someone believe in them.

Seven peaked over the chest of drawers, giving me a smile. “Thanks for saying so.”

With skillful fingers, he took out little devices and placed them on top for safekeeping. Sensors? I suppose that was why the alarm would ring if someone so much as touched those drawers – although, strangely enough, they didn’t have locks on them. We stayed in comfortable silence while he continued working for a while.

He turned towards the desk and softly tugged at the drawer, anticipating that it would be locked. He sighed. “There’s a sensor in here I have to get, but I don’t have the key. Only Rika had it, so I guess V has it now.”

“What are you going to do?” I asked, feeling a little uncomfortable.

“I knew this was going to happen, so I came prepared.” He grinned, walking over to the bag he brought and rustling inside it. “Tah-dah~”

“A hammer…”

“You can’t get hurt, so stay here.” He warned.

I watched worriedly as he lifted the tool up high and brought it down with a loud clang.

“So?” Seven asked as he fished out the sensors in the drawer. “Your turn.”

“Oh, right.” I realized. “Growing up, I was left alone for the most part. Both of my parents were members of big time orchestras, after all. My mother even works for a theater company for musicals and shows like that. On top of that, they do individual concerts. I had a nanny when I was really young, of course, but I kind of ended up raising myself.”

“You didn’t turn out so bad.” He joked lightly. “Your parents were at the party, weren’t they? They seem to really love you a lot.”

I made a sound of agreement. “I never doubted that. When they were home, they were great parents, you know. It was just…”

“It’s not your fault…”

I turned to look at him. He was staring down at what he had been working on, but his hands were motionless. Was he telling himself or me? The both of us? We were just children at the whims and mercy of adults.

What became of us as a result…

Well, I suppose that would depend on the child’s innate personality.

The rest of the time was spent with lighthearted conversation. Seven didn’t want to get into the details, and I wanted to respect his privacy. Sooner than I thought he could finished, Seven had all of the bomb components and security sensors removed. His skills really were impressive.

“All right, now all that’s left is to put in the new cameras.” He exhaled tiredly.

“Anything I can do to help with that?”

“Can you lay out the things from my bag on the table? I’m going to secure these away.” Seven gestured to the deconstructed bomb.

I nodded and started to dig into his bag. I pulled out camera after camera paired with various wires. This seemed harder than it looked… Seven just laughed at my confused look and told me not to worry. All he needed me to do was be his cute assistant and hand him what he asks for. Together, we went around the apartment while checking for blind spots.

“Don’t put one in there.” I complained lightly, softly hitting his shoulder. I stood in front of the bedroom door. “If you wanted someone to put on a show for you, you could just ask.”

Seven’s face blushed bright red, matching his hair. “Keep this PG-13!”

“Oh? But it’s only the two of us~” I teased, tugging his hand to move him back into the living room. “Anyways, is that all of them?”

“Yep, all I have to do is turn them online…” He hummed, typing away at his computer. I looked around and watched the cameras’ red lights blink on and off. “Hm? The one in the hallway was already off… I guess the power shorted out when the hacker accessed the bomb. I could’ve sworn it was on, though…”

“Well, nothing happened, so we can count our lucky stars.” I evaded.

He shrugged, accepting my reply. “A~nd done.”

The two of us cheered and high-fived each other.

“It got pretty late, shall we go get an early dinner?” I asked.

“Oooh~ Are you treating?” Seven wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

“How much do you think I make?” I joked, watching him turn his back to me and clean up the mess we made while installing everything. I eyed the computer program in front of me and quickly disabled the security system with a few clicks. The red lights turned off. “Where do you want to go?”

“Oh, oh~ should we go bother Jumin instead?” He cackled. “Or how much trouble can I get Yoosung in by bringing a cutie celebrity to his place?”

I laughed, discretely putting the computer to sleep and started packing it up in his bag. “Or we can drag Yoosung to C&R. Then we can see Jumin and Jaehee and they’ll have to feel like going out to dinner with us.”

“Positively evil~! We can bother all of them at once! Maybe Zen will be at C&R doing those cat commercials.” Seven snickered; trying to hide his amusement as he thought of how puffy Zen’s face would be.

With everything packed away, and Seven none the wiser, the two of us headed for the door. On top of the desk and away from view from the hallway, I left V’s phone and a note.

_Insurance._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I tried to get this up for Jumin's birthday, but apparently, I'm a busy person and I couldn't get this edited in time >< Close enough, right?
> 
> My quest to get all of the guests on V's route has been a treacherous one... But alas, I did it. The anxiety I felt every time I saw a number over the email icon will forever scar me T_T


	27. The Liars We Have Become...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day Fourteen
> 
> “Mint Eye. Magenta. It’s a place where disciples are brainwashed into believing the outside world is riddled with tragedy. In paradise, they can release their sorrows.”

 “All right, girls, give it your all out there.” Ye-Jun encouraged. “This is your goodbye stage for the album, meaning the last music show appearance.”

“Count on us!” Seo-Yeon cheered, raising her hands in the air. “Mi, let’s go!”

“Coming,” I sang, putting my hand in her offered one. For the final time for this album, we walked hand in hand to the stage. It was thirteen days ago that our fourth album was released. It was two weeks ago that I found myself in RFA’s secret apartment and met the members – at least, virtually met them. Sporadically within the same two weeks, I’ve met all six of my soul mates as well.

This has been the most hectic fourteen days of my life…

The next few days turned out to be just as.

V was getting anxious about the papers I had in my possession as insurance for his cooperation. The minute that the recording session ended, I told the others I was meeting the RFA leader to discuss the future of my position in the organization. It wasn’t a lie, per say, but we were going to be talking about much more than future guests.

He invited me to his home, a minimalist styled house with more photographs than space on the walls. It was the most secured location for such a chat, away from prying eyes and ears. V never allowed Seven to install any kind of security measures, either, so there were no chances of the secret agent watching from a CCTV or hearing through a listening device.

“You seem rather calm around me compared to our last meeting.” I commented nonchalantly as we sat opposite each other at his dining table.

“Your… aura isn’t as cold as it was before.” V admitted slowly. “It’s back to the peaceful presence I felt when I met you.”

“You must be sensitive to those things. I’m sorry, was it scary? I won’t have to threaten you again if you work with me.” I replied, showing him a carefree smile. All I wanted was the chance to save my soul mate. Although I don’t trust him, I had no real interest in hurting V or anyone else. However… I will if I must. My soul mates meant the world to me.

“I don’t want you to get hurt.”

“Thanks for the concern, but it’s not needed. I’m doing this with my own interests in mind.”

“Even if you hate me, please, don’t do anything rash.”

“You’re a better person than I am.” I tittered self-mockingly. “You care about me more than you should.”

“You’re part of the RFA. You’re family now. I’ll protect you, no matter what.” V said with conviction. “I… brought you into this mess in the first place.”

I was stunned for just a moment before I found the voice to reply, “We’ve come this far. Through the good and the bad. If we’re family, as you say, then let’s protect each other.” I paused, thinking about his words. “Why did you convince the others to let me join if you knew who led me to the apartment in the first place?”

“If I turned you away, they would’ve taken you to Mint Eye. It was safer for you here, with the others watching over you.”

I was struck again by how kind this man was, despite everything. He took in a complete stranger… “Then, thank you…”

“Please, don’t thank me.” V sighed. “You must have looked at those papers.”

I pulled out a set of keys from my purse, sliding them across the table. “Drafts of logos for an organization called Mint Eye. Blueprints for what I assume is their headquarters. Rika’s schedule book filled with plans for both RFA and ME. It’s safe to say that I’ve realized Rika is the one who established it.”

V stayed silent, stiffly nodding as he fiddled with the keys on the table.

I had to ask, “Did you inherit this organization?” After a pause, I added, “Or is she still alive and you’re covering for her? Is that why you don’t have the authority over Unknown?”

He stiffened at my second guess. “The others… I wanted the others to remember the side that they knew. The side that they loved. I lied so I could try to distance the RFA from Rika.”

“She changed that drastically?”

V went silent. “Don’t forgive me.” He whispered.

Truly loving someone was loving them for their flaws, too. I admired him.

Now, however, the situation spiraled out of his control. What he could once handle on his own, ended up dragging me, a complete stranger, into their grasp.

“She did that to your eyes, didn’t she? That’s why no one knew about it.” I muttered to myself. The puzzle pieces were fitting together. Rika, a victim to her mind, created a world that she could control – a place where she felt safe.

What exactly was this place? What did Mint Eye stand for?

And why hurt her soul mate, of all people? To test his love for her? I looked at V, his gaze fixed on the table. Hurt him and no one else, is what he said to me.

Oh, I see.

“Rika did nothing wrong. Mint Eye, Magenta… and this everlasting party… Rika made the wrong decisions because of the world I showed to her. This is all because of me.”

I tilted my head curiously. Something triggered her, and she started to believe in an unrealistic, imaginative world. “That doesn’t make it your fault. She was sick and suffering, wasn’t she?”

“She was desperate to hide the fact that she was sick… and never showed it to anyone. Even Jumin never noticed. After Sally, her dog, died, her anxiety started to take over her. She started coming up with this scenario about saving everyone. We got into a fight in that process… and she left me.” V suddenly laughed dryly. “I don’t know why I just told you all of that.”

“Because I’m blackmailing you.” I shrugged, but I smiled softly to him.

“I understand why the others became so fond of you so quickly. You have this trustworthy, calm presence about you.”

I stood up from my seat, “Let’s go save them, V. From their own delusions.”

“Mint Eye is a dangerous place.”

“Tell me about it on the way. I have the next two days off, anyways.”

“… Rika plans to take them to paradise.” V said sternly, looking directly at me.

“What exactly does that mean?”

“Mint Eye. Magenta. It’s a place where disciples are brainwashed into believing the outside world is riddled with tragedy. In paradise, they can release their sorrows.”

It’s a drug ring?! I shrieked in my mind. “A religious cult?” I coughed calmly instead.

Brainwashing, huh? If that was the case… Then everything made sense to me now. Because…

Drugs affected the mind, not the soul.

Our dreamscape was a place created by our soul, but controlled by our minds. When the mind was sad, the soul was sad – resulting in the embodiment of a torturous environment. However, our movements and interactions were all things we consciously did on our own. If one didn’t have control of their mind, they would never be able to visit the imaginary place their soul created. They would never act on the connection they promised each other.

“…Just how many…er… disciples are there?” I asked once I gathered my thoughts.

“I disguised myself as a disciple and stayed there to acquire information… But even I’m not really sure.”

“That’s why Seven couldn’t reach you before.” I nodded in understanding. “What did you find out?”

“Found enough to know that going there with you now is more dangerous than before. Rika’s… angry. This whole time, she’s been trying to prove me wrong and absorb all the members of the RFA into Mint Eye. The plan failed because Luciel won over Sae… Unknown.”

I ignored his falter for now. “I’m more than up for disbanding the group myself. Delusions that disrupt and alter the life of someone innocent have no place in reality. Just how many people has she absorbed into this place? V… don’t you care that these people had normal lives?”

“For two years, I’ve been trying to convince Rika that her paradise is wrong.”

“It’s not working, V. We’ll just have to try something different.” I trailed off and looked out the window into the clear blue sky. “If I ask… He’ll probably lend me some…”

V looked at me questioningly.

“We’ll leave early in the morning. The others will be too busy to notice us if we come up with something believable.” I suggested. C&R would be busy, as always. Zen was excited to be working on the drama set. Yoosung will most likely be at school. And Seven… probably had some hacking to do. “First, we have to visit Jumin.”

 

Luckily for us, V knew his way around the C&R building. With her desk situated directly in front of Jumin’s office doors, Jaehee greeted us with surprise.

“What are you two doing here…? Together?” She asked.

“It’s good to see you, Jaehee. I hope you’re not working too hard?” V replied good-naturedly.

“RFA things.” I evaded, giving my soul mate a light, affectionate brush on her arm. It wasn’t technically a lie… “We need to ask Jumin for a favor, is he free by any chance?”

 “He has a meeting in fifteen minutes, but I’m sure he’ll be willing to see the two of you.” Jaehee replied, knocking on the large doors.

“Assistant Kang, what is it?” Jumin’s deep, baritone voice echoed from the other side. Jaehee nodded to me, allowing me to open the door.

“Jumin~” I sang cheerfully. I saw him look up from his paperwork, also startled at our sudden appearance.

“Mi-Yeon, V.” The businessman greeted, standing up from his plush seat. “To what do I owe the pleasure? I didn’t realize you two became such quick friends.”

“As much as I would like to say that we came just to see you, we actually have a favor to ask.” I said sheepishly. Were we just using Jumin? Could we even do this without his, unknowing, help?

“Oh?” Jumin hummed, brushing a lock of my hair over my ear, his fingers gently caressing against my cheek. “Anything for you, my lady. Just say the word.”

“I thought it would be good to truly explain her role in the RFA.” V started.

“So, V invited me on a nature walk up in the mountains.” I continued smoothly.

I bit my tongue so I didn’t outwardly flinch at my scorching punishment. There was no pleasure in this.

The highest one.

Jumin raised an eyebrow. “Mi-Yeon, you did an excellent job already. Surely, we already covered everything?” He looked at his childhood friend.

“I would know better than anyone what Rika accomplished behind the scenes.” V said softly, almost reluctantly. “Just the… details, Jumin. Nothing more. Besides, I want to see if I could take a couple more decent photographs before my eyes reach their limit completely.”

I heard Jumin let out a sigh. “Are you absolutely certain you don’t want to consult with the doctor I found you?”

“I don’t want it, Jumin.” V replied serenely.

Jumin sighed again but continued, “And what about this nature walk do you need a favor for?”

“We came to ask you to lend us some bodyguards.” V answered. “Mi-Yeon is a popular celebrity, after all. I don’t want anything to happen to her.”

“I see. Yes, please make sure she doesn’t hurt herself on this hike of yours.” Jumin agreed. “How many will you be needing?”

I swallowed thickly, preparing to speak.

I knew this was an outrageous number for a photography trip into nature, but, “Ten or so?” Jumin raised an eyebrow. “Ah~ No offense, but I’m not trusting a blind man to lead us back to civilization if we get lost in an area we both have never been to. And what if we run into a big wild animal? The more heads we have, the more ideas we can create to get away.”

“If you feel safer that way, I have no arguments.” The businessman shrugged. “I’ll send you a car, as well. When will you be leaving?”

“Early tomorrow morning. It’s a little far, and I wanted to see if I can capture the sunrise.” V informed.

“So really early.” I added, smiling playfully. I tasted copper. “And Jumin, will they listen to anything we say?”

“Of course. And they would have already signed a confidentiality contract. Anything you say about the RFA will be safe.” He guaranteed.

That answers that.

V and I looked at each other discreetly. Forlornly.

The liars we have become…


	28. Hellfire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day Fifteen
> 
> ‧º·(˚ ˃̣̣̥⌓˂̣̣̥ )‧º·˚

Something was… strange.

Looking around, everything seemed to be the usual. They were all lounging around the shore, silently keeping watch. The others weren’t moving. Were all of them really that busy?

All of them…

?

The atmosphere tickled his senses. It was uncomfortable. Unnatural.

Wrong.

A gentle breeze gusted through, creating ripples in the water. An ember floated past his vision. The beautiful orange spark caught his attention. The heat brushed against his very soul.

Taking another look around him at his soul mates, he realized what was different.

The atmosphere was stifling. Hot. The sky was being dyed black with smoke. Looking into the distance, he could see a cluster of trees ablaze. The captivating, hypnotizing reds and yellows stole his attention. He couldn’t look away.

As picturesque as the ocean…

A forest fire.

Shaking his head, he came back to his senses. Rushing forward, he dodged the trees smoothly. It was far – the complete opposite side than the ocean shore. All of the trees looked the same. He was lost, but he followed the heat.

It pushed him back. Warned him to turn back. Stay away.

Tepid.

Warm.

Hot.

Blistering.

Scorching.

He winced; feeling like his skin was melting away. Gritting his teeth, he trudged forward. Careful to keep away from the blazing foliage, he walked until he found what he was searching for. What he learned would be there if this were to happen in their peaceful little dreamscape.

Rather, who.

And there, in the middle of the dazzling inferno, his worse prediction came true. The cause of the fissure growing between them…

 

**Yoosung:** !

**Yoosung:** EVERYONE

**Yoosung:**!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

**Yoosung:**!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

_Yoosung has left the chatroom_

_Yoosung has entered the chatroom_

**Yoosung:**!!!!!!!

**Yoosung:** JUMIN

**Yoosung:** JAEHEE

**Yoosung:** ZEN

**Yoosung:** SEVEN

_Yoosung has left the chatroom_

_Yoosung has entered the chatroom_

**Yoosung:** ‧º·(˚ ˃̣̣̥⌓˂̣̣̥ )‧º·˚

**Yoosung:** ‧º·(˚ ˃̣̣̥⌓˂̣̣̥ )‧º·˚

**Yoosung:** ‧º·(˚ ˃̣̣̥⌓˂̣̣̥ )‧º·˚

**Yoosung:** ‧º·(˚ ˃̣̣̥⌓˂̣̣̥ )‧º·˚

**Yoosung:** ‧º·(˚ ˃̣̣̥⌓˂̣̣̥ )‧º·˚

_Yoosung has left the chatroom_

_Yoosung has entered the chatroom_

**Yoosung:** What are we going to do?!?!!? T_T

**Yoosung:** ‧º·(˚ ˃̣̣̥⌓˂̣̣̥ )‧º·˚

**Yoosung:** ‧º·(˚ ˃̣̣̥⌓˂̣̣̥ )‧º·˚

**Yoosung:** ‧º·(˚ ˃̣̣̥⌓˂̣̣̥ )‧º·˚

**Yoosung:** ‧º·(˚ ˃̣̣̥⌓˂̣̣̥ )‧º·˚

**Yoosung:** ‧º·(˚ ˃̣̣̥⌓˂̣̣̥ )‧º·˚

_Yoosung has left the chatroom_

_Yoosung has entered the chatroom_

**Yoosung:** You’re all awake! T_T

**Yoosung:** Unless you’re dreaming…

**Yoosung:** I wish I were dreaming…

**Yoosung:** ‧º·(˚ ˃̣̣̥⌓˂̣̣̥ )‧º·˚

**Yoosung:** ‧º·(˚ ˃̣̣̥⌓˂̣̣̥ )‧º·˚

**Yoosung:** ‧º·(˚ ˃̣̣̥⌓˂̣̣̥ )‧º·˚

**Yoosung:** Guys… T_T

_707 has entered the chatroom_

**707:** What are you blowing up my phone for?

**707:** (╥_╥)

**707:** Did you get in trouble with the police and you need bail money?

_ZEN has entered the chatroom_

**ZEN:** I think my phone is overheating…

_Jaehee Kang has entered the chatroom_

**ZEN:** I was finally getting into character too…

**ZEN:** (;-_-)ノ

**707:** For that drama shoot you have tomorrow... Today?

**707:** LOL

**707:** Don’t you only have three lines? You must be really nervous~~~~

**707:** Ｏ(≧∇≦)Ｏ

**Jaehee Kang:** They will be the most anticipated lines of the whole drama.

**Jaehee Kang:** o(^◇^)o

**ZEN:** I really needed to hear that, thanks Jaehee.

**ZEN:** (;-_-)ノ

**ZEN:** I didn’t get any sleep… my beautiful face…

_Jumin Han has entered the chatroom_

**Jumin Han:** You have startled Elizabeth 3rd awake with your constant creation of chat rooms and text messages.

**Yoosung:** …

**Yoosung:** But guys…

**Yoosung:** ‧º·(˚ ˃̣̣̥⌓˂̣̣̥ )‧º·˚

**707:** What’s the emergency?

**707:** Almost all of us are here…

**ZEN:** Speaking of, where is Mi-Yeon? There is no way she missed all of that.

**ZEN:** Unless she’s still working?

**Jaehee Kang:** She has told me that she has the next two days off.

**Jumin Han:** Yes, she’s going on a day trip with V.

**Yoosung:** …V?

**Yoosung:** …

**Jaehee Kang:** I know you are not the fondest of V, but it is only a nature hike.

**Jumin Han:** The two of them will be fine. They took my security guards with them.

**ZEN:** Yoosung?

**ZEN:** What’s wrong?

**Yoosung:** …

**Yoosung:** They’re lying…

**Jaehee Kang:** What are you talking about? How do you know?

**Yoosung:** You guys haven’t gone to sleep tonight, have you?

**ZEN:** I’ve been reading and rereading my scenes all night. I couldn’t get a wink of sleep even if I tried.

**Jaehee Kang:** I was working.

**707:** Same~

**Jumin Han:** Why do you ask, Yoosung?

**Yoosung:** …

**Yoosung:** Our home is on fire.

**Yoosung:** Mi-Yeon was in the middle of it.

 

It was silent for a long while.

 

**Jumin Han:** …

**Jumin Han:** And what do you suppose they lied about?

**Yoosung:** You don’t believe me?

**Jumin Han:** That is not what I was insinuating.

**Jumin Han:** For a lie to affect our dreamscape so, it must be tremendous.

**Jaehee Kang:** Something entirely opposite of what was said.

**Jumin Han:** Experts on the bonding of souls have proven that the truth will most likely be hurtful to their soul partner.

**Yoosung:** Why are you two so calm about this…?

**ZEN:** … It’s not that we’re calm…

**ZEN:** It’s a little hard to wrap our minds around… right, guys?

**Yoosung:** What did V drag her into?!

**Yoosung:** Jumin… You have to know something, don’t you?

**Jumin Han:** …

**Yoosung:** …

**Jaehee Kang:** You don’t think they knew each other beforehand do you?

**Yoosung:** …I… don’t want to believe that….

**ZEN:** Has anyone called her?

**ZEN:** She… must be in a lot of pain, right now.

**ZEN:** Even if she didn’t know about it before, she would now…

**ZEN:** …

**ZEN:** Where did Seven go?

**707:** They’re smarter than that.

**707:** I can’t track her.

**707:** Her phone is off and something is disrupting the signal.

**707:** V, too.

**Yoosung:** V must’ve made her do it!

**Jaehee Kang:** V is not the type to do such things.

**Jaehee Kang:** … The both of them do not seem like the type…

**Jumin Han:** …

**Jumin Han:** Whatever the case…

**Jumin Han:** Let’s trust that she is mature enough to make her own decisions.

 

He was afraid to go back to sleep. What would become of them when he awoke?

He was afraid of the destruction he’d see.

He was afraid to be face to face with that again…

…The Hellfire raging in their home.


	29. ...To Keep Them Safe, Part One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day Fifteen
> 
> “Follow quietly, now. You don’t want something to happen to the princess, do you?”

I stifled a yawn and hid behind the long, thin travel mug I held in my hand. The air was chilly and sky was still dark. I stood in front of V’s home with an assembly of security guards and two vans. It was time for us to depart to Mint Eye and snap Rika back to her senses. If not that, then to at least liberate the ‘disciples.’

It wasn’t the plan V had intended, but I refused to let it continue if I could stop it. I didn’t want to wait until Rika realized that paradise was everyone’s own definition. The world wasn’t perfect, because humans weren’t perfect. Was there even a single definition for perfect? There was equal good in the world as there was bad; one couldn’t exist without the other.

That was the concept of YeonYeon’s third, two part, album _Angels & Devils. _On the _Angels & _cover was ‘There was no light…’ while on the _& Devils _ cover was ‘…Without darkness.’ It was our best selling album, and one of my favorites. Besides, it was a concept I chose.

Ah, I was a workaholic…

V finally came out of his home. He looked a little tense. We stared at each other for a moment, and then nodded in agreement.

 “Everyone, thank you for accompanying us.” I said to the security guards. I already greeted them, but I felt I needed to give them a proper, polite bow in gratitude before we left. “Everything that happens from here on out will remain confidential to just us until further notice.”

I saw the guards look at each other questioningly but they didn’t raise further protests.

V wasn’t saying anything so I continued, “The truth is… We’re not going on a nature walk. The two of us are going to attempt to save our loved ones from a religious cult.”

“We understand that this isn’t what you signed up for.” V added. “We won’t say anything if you decide to stay outside of the building. We only ask that you keep this private until we find a successful way to… disband the organization.”

V and I waited until we saw nods of understanding from our accompanying security guards.

“V knows where the building is, he’ll discuss with the driver of the van we are in.” I informed. “Before we leave, however, I suggest all of you turn off your cell phones and take out the battery if possible. The cult has a talented hacker and it will put us at a disadvantage if we’re discovered beforehand.” I left out the part that we also had a talented hacker that probably, by now, knew I was doing something behind their backs.

I was a little surprised by how dedicated these security guards were. They listened to all of our requests without a single word of objection. After everything was said and done, V and I got into one of the vans with a couple guards while the rest of the guards filed into the second van.

The photographer took out a strange little device from his jacket and flipped a switch.

“A signal disrupter.” V informed quietly.

“…Where in the world did you get such a device…?”

“Ah… Luciel likes to make things like this when he’s bored. Message encryption, call tracing, a cell phone that warns you if your call is tapped – things of that nature.”

…Huh… I knew Seven was a genius, but to make such complicated devices because he was bored? I wonder what it was like to have such knowledge…

As our journey deep into the mountains started, the two of stayed silent. The screen was up between the guards and us, thus it felt like we were the only ones in the room.

“I have a question,” I started softly. “Rika… is your soul mate, isn’t she? Didn’t you try to save her?”

“Of course I tried…” V trailed off, staring at the passing scenery. “I went in to save her… and then she disappeared. I couldn’t do anything for her… It has been cold ever since. I almost dread sleeping at night.”

For a moment, I didn’t understand what he meant. When I put the pieces together, I stayed quiet from the startling realization. I didn’t think it was truly conceivable. I imagined that it could happen, but it was only a passing thought.

They drowned each other.

And when Rika’s mental state plummeted further, barring her free will, she could no longer access their dreamscape. V was left alone, sinking deeper into the beautiful, cold ocean.

I cleared my throat uncomfortably, “You couldn’t get out on your own?” Whenever I found myself lost in the darkest depths of my mind and drowning, I metaphorically reset my thoughts. Reset it to a time when the memories didn’t plague me.

“Hmm…” He hummed. “I don’t know about that.”

Maybe he wanted to stay, because Rika was still there. Maybe because that was another memorable wound he could keep by his side so he didn’t feel as lonely.

I dropped the subject without protest.

The atmosphere between us… it was both of alliance and of adversaries – something in between, but also not quite. The two of us weren’t committed enough to make enemies of each other. Taking a side-glance at the photographer beside me, I could tell he felt no hostility in the air. He looked worried, though.

“Since we’re already at this point, can you tell me about Unknown?” I asked softly. I didn’t want to offend him, but my soul mate was the only reason I was here. The reason I resorted to using and blackmailing V.

“His name is Saeran.” He took a long pause, closing his eyes behind his sunglasses. “He’s Saeyoung’s twin brother.”

“Saeyoung?”

“Luciel’s real name.”

“Seven has a brother?” I gasped softly, turning my head so quickly I thought I would get whiplash. “How… What happened?”

“They came from an abusive home. Saeyoung was the healthier of the two and often went outside. He started attending a church. That’s where we met.” V took another pause. “I did try to help him. His father was too powerful politically. I really thought that erasing his name with the intelligence agency would be the best way.

“It worked for a while and we kept Saeran safe somewhere else. At least, that’s what I thought. But… I don’t know exactly when Rika started reaching out to him. After the second party, when someone first attempted to hack into the apartment’s security system… that’s when I first noticed it. Rika had already set up the blueprint for Mint Eye, and was trying to acquire the guest information of our previous party without having Saeyoung notice. She wanted to take all of the info at once and used Saeran to hack in.”

“So… the special security system… was to stop his own brother?” I asked slowly, the realization hitting like a truck.

“I could never apologize enough to them.” V grimaced, biting his lip. “In the end… Rika and I used them both.”

I remembered the pained look on Seven’s… Saeyoung’s face when he talked about the past. About that special person he wanted to keep safe more than anything else. It must have been so hard to leave Saeran behind. “We’ll have to think of something to say to them when we get back…”

The constant stabbing of hot steel on my skin was a reminder of that.

The liars we became to keep them safe…

I promise to save Saeran for them, no matter what.

“If Rika changes… There’s a possibility Saeran will realize the truth.” V mumbled, lost in thought. I don’t think he meant to say it out loud like that.

The remainder of the five-hour drive was spent with the two of us lost in thought, thinking of ways to approach the situation. The closer we got; the more butterflies flew around in my stomach. It was too late now. Way too late.

We parked the vans just out of sight of the very colorful mansion in the middle of nowhere. V and I had the security team look around the perimeter. The head security officer left us with a communication device. If we needed help, we had their radio communication to talk to each other. We crept around the building to an entrance V knew and used while he was disguised as a disciple.

The plan we agreed on was to find Rika and try to talk some sense into her. If that failed, and I had a feeling it will since it hasn’t worked thus far for V, then I wanted to find Saeran. Admittedly, it wasn’t much of a plan B, but maybe winging it might just work.

The two of us successfully made it to the inner corridors before a voice stopped us.

“I’m impressed you made it this far.” Turning around, we were met face to face with Saeran. “But unfortunately for you, I have… _ways_ to track this one.” He eyed me with a knowing grin.

With Jumin’s mark heating up like hot iron this entire time, it completely slipped my mind that the others would still warm up when we were in close proximity. I’m sorry, V.

“You’re just in time for the initiation ceremony.” Saeran smirked, reaching out and tightly grabbing onto my wrist before V and I could react. “Follow quietly, now. You don’t want something to happen to the _princess_ , do you?”

“We’ll go with you. You don’t need to hurt her.” V replied calmly.

“Much appreciated.” Saeran sarcastically said. He motioned V forward with his chin while he stayed in the back, holding me directly in front of him.

As we walked, his grip on my wrist loosened more and more until it was nothing more then brushes of his skin against mine every step we took. I took a peak over my shoulder. Saeran’s eyes were hidden behind his bangs, his teeth biting at his lip until the skin turned pale. My attention was brought to his arms as he raised his right hand to clench tightly at his left forearm, his left hand fingers still hooked around my wrist that he held behind my back.

Was he all right…? He looked like he was in pain.

Just like when we met at the apartment.

Eventually, we made it to large, gaudy double doors. Even through the thick wood, we could hear the disciples chanting. “For Mint Eye’s everlasting paradise! Let’s guide the sinners to heaven through the holy cleanse! For ever lasting paradise!”

Saeran tightened his grip on me again, but didn’t make me move as he shoved himself to the front. He listened carefully at the door, waiting for the opportune moment as to not interrupt.

An authoritative, feminine voice was next to talk, “For everlasting paradise. We will now begin the entering ceremony for our new disciples.” There was shuffling on the other side of the door. “These people here will cleanse themselves of the unnecessary knowledge acquired in the contaminated world. They will give their all to endure the process, and pledge to participate in the party of paradise that only pursues everlasting happiness and joy.”

“Cleanse…?” An unsteady voice asked.

“Yes, I understand.” A second, more confident, voice replied back.

“Prepare the medicine of salvation.” The female ordered. “Take the nonbeliever downstairs. You know what to do.”

“N-No, wait…! What are you going to do? Where am I?” A man sounded groggy and disoriented.

“Take him away.”

Saeran took that moment to open the door slowly. “Savior.” He greeted.

“Don’t resist.” A disciple complained as they dragged the man towards the other side of what looked like a throne room. The other new disciple stayed still obediently. I suppose some people joined freely…

“Let go! Help! Please…!”

V cautiously stepped around Saeran, “Rika, stop involving innocent people into this.”

Saeran seemed to glare at him.

“Oh… I forgot about you.” Rika said in a bored manner, paying no mind to the struggling new disciple. One of the believers went up to her and knelt down, holding out what looked like a strange liquid concoction. Rika took it and brought it over to their newest recruit. “After you drink this, you will be one of us. Our family in paradise.”

“If you involve more people, you will only feel more empty. You already know this.” V interrupted.

“Empty? Not at all.” Rika scoffed, thinking for a moment. “What should I do with you…? I don’t have any plans to include you, so maybe I’ll just use you to implant fear into everyone and just throw you away.” Once the new disciple drank the liquid, Rika absently signaled to the disciple that held a set of robes.

V closed his eyes, looking away as though he’s accepted his fate. “…As I said before, do as you please.”

…What was that supposed to mean, V? I swallowed thickly, silently apologizing to the man getting sent downstairs to who knows what.

Rika suddenly seemed angry. “You trespassed into my building like a little rat, spying on us. Don’t talk as if you thought of me, you traitor! You pretended to prepare for the party, but you were here, right? I have enough evidence!”

The disciples still milling around the room became unsettled.

“If you want to interrogate me, go ahead… I won’t go anywhere now.” V stepped towards her slowly.

“You’re so confident. All this evidence can enrage the disciples. And if I crush you when everyone is watching… they will love it.”

“Do what you want. You already know my answer.”

“Yes… You said this a long time ago. You said you’d love me… even if I strangle you, blind you, and destroy your limbs. So… that hasn’t changed?”

“No… If you want to test my love that much, do what you want.”

“I’ve experienced and proved many times here that I was right. People betray each other, submit to pain, and are ruled by fear. So… they are weak.”

“Experiment on me, Rika. No one else.”

I felt my limbs moving before I could register my actions and my astonishment. “V!” I gasped, shoving my way through the doorway. I felt Saeran tighten his grip and yank my arm, but it didn’t stop me from flinging my body forward to get to V. What was he thinking?! Destroying himself won’t protect anyone…! He was just killing the people left behind…

Saeran tugged my arm again, either in annoyance or in the need to keep me hostage, I didn’t know. Taking a quick glance at his artificial, mint colored eyes, I saw a flash of worry skitter across his facial features – the emotion disappearing as quickly as it appeared.

What…?

He didn’t want me to go to them? Did he want me to hide behind the doorway?

V kept talking, “There is still so much hatred in you. Your wounds and pain… They are still fresh as ever. I still think you are beautiful. And I love you.”

“You…!” Rika growled, dancing her attention between me and V. “You don’t know love. You cherish the RFA more than me. I know that you’re here now to protect them! Love? Yeah right. Just admit that you betrayed me because of the RFA!”

“I’m the one who made you like this, so I wanted to be the only one to get hurt. If you want to call that betrayal… fine. But please, stop distorting everything else.”

“Stop justifying yourself! That is betrayal. No matter how hard you try to convince me with your weird logic. I won’t fall for it. The moment your two eyes couldn’t see me… I was free. I’m going to do whatever I want now!” Rika suddenly stepped around V and towards me. “You, my dear, I knew you were an enchanter from the start.”

“What do you mean?” I asked, preventing my instinctive recoil to be seen as she put a gentle hand on my cheek.

“Saeran has told me all about how you have the RFA in your hands. Why don’t you call them here for me, hmm? We can all stay in paradise together.” Rika suggested kindly.

“Rika, please don’t.” V called, trying to get her attention back on him. “The fantasy you want to believe in is just affecting your emotions. Please, open your eyes. I will always love you from the same place. You and I are still at the place we first met… No one else has to get hurt.”

She turned sharply, her eyes hardening. “Stop being so stupid. You just want to obsess over our past relationship, since the RFA means so much more to you. It’s no use trying to change how I feel. I’ve become objective. I’m stronger for everyone. I did all of this myself without you!”

“It was possible because you used Saeran.” V argued gently. I felt Saeran flinch, his grip on my wrist tightening just a little as his emotions riled up. “Please… don’t involve any more innocent people… That means nothing.”

“You weren’t even there, but you’re saying everything I did was wrong.” Rika replied angrily. “Saeran is completely free from pain now. I feel so proud. So don’t think you know everything. The girl who cried in fear of being alone is gone, V, you don’t have to exist. You’re useless now.”

“…Please let go of the RFA. You’ll be happy enough with me destroyed.”

“Hmm, yes,” Rika hummed, turning her hand to grip my chin. “I’ll destroy you, but this precious one will convince the others to join us.”

“Rika,” V sighed.

The woman turned to the other disciples, letting me go. “Prepare another ceremony. Our precious one will be joining our everlasting paradise tonight.”

“For everlasting paradise.” The disciples chanted, getting to work.

“Until then, let’s keep her in a comfortable room. Especially away from the sinner, I don’t want her to be any more contaminated.”

…She was separating us?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This originally was just one really long chapter that I split into parts xD


	30. ...To Keep Them Safe, Part Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day Fifteen
> 
> "Their devotion. Their motivation. Their salvation…"

“…Please let go of the RFA. You’ll be happy enough with me destroyed.”

“Hmm, yes,” Rika hummed, turning her hand to grip my chin. “I’ll destroy you, but this precious one will convince the others to join us.”

“Rika,” V sighed.

The woman turned to the other disciples, letting me go. “Prepare another ceremony. Our precious one will be joining our everlasting paradise tonight.”

“For everlasting paradise.” The disciples chanted, getting to work.

“Until then, let’s keep her in a comfortable room. Especially away from the sinner, I don’t want her to be any more contaminated.”

…She was separating us? 

Rika continued her instructions, “Put the sinner downstairs. He would be delighted to watch our precious one join us, wouldn’t he?” She snickered in amusement. “And when the RFA comes, I’ll make an example out of him.”

“Yes, savior. For everlasting paradise.”

I swallowed nervously, biting my tongue to keep from acting rashly and getting us in more trouble. I looked at V, hoping to convey that it was fine. I had a plan for when we reconvened here, in this… throne room. While we were kept locked away, we had to inform the guards outside. The large double doors towards the front of the building looked to lead directly outside. The security guards needed to come in while everyone was gathered and preoccupied with my… swearing in.

V will be safe at least until Rika converted me into a believer. She wanted to hurt him this way, after all. He couldn’t be hurt emotionally if he was incapacitated to the point of unconsciousness. I just had to believe that.

When the disciples opened the far door towards the basement to take V there, I jolted in surprise as a scream ripped through the air.

 _“No! Please! Stop!”_ The screaming of a struggling man continued.

What were they doing?! Were they torturing him?!

Lord…

…What did we get ourselves into?

“You take her.” Saeran said tightly, pushing me into another disciple. I saw him hold his head and grit his teeth before he pivoted on his heels and marched away.

He really was in pain… But from what?

“Ow.” I let out the small sound in surprise as the disciple grabbed both of my arms and held them behind my back forcibly. He took me back down the hallway we came from, and then up some stairs. The room he brought me to was nothing special – a normal bed and dresser sat against the walls.

Yikes… There were bars on the window.

That man’s scream replayed in my head. Bars on the window… like a prison. Like a prisoner. The disciple pushed me into the room and closed the door. After a moment, I tried the doorknob, already anticipating that it would be locked. It was.

At this moment, the situation really sunk into my core. I suddenly felt nauseous. The man who was looking for salvation. The man who was forcibly taken to a salvation that wasn’t to his own definition. His agonized scream. The powerlessness he must feel. The disciples need to have everyone live under one belief. Their devotion. Their motivation. Their salvation…

I sat on the bed, hugging my knees to my chest and keeping my face buried in my arms. The bile was rising to my throat the harder my heart beat in anxiety. In the guilt I felt for allowing that man to get dragged away.

I swallowed hard, trampling the feelings down until later. Letting go of myself, I undid the jacket I wore, unzipped its inner pocket, and took out my phone. After it booted up, I turned on the location services and took a deep breath. I didn’t know if the location services actually helped him or not, but it didn’t hurt to have it on.

Going through the familiar phone numbers, I dialed one.

He picked up right away, _“…You’re in a lot of trouble with the others, you know.”_

“I’m sorry, Seven.”

My voice must’ve sounded more hoarse and broken than I thought because he replied with a more worried tone. _“Are you hurt? What happened?”_

“I’m so sorry.” I whimpered, my voice cracking. It wasn’t in earshot anymore, but all I could hear was that man’s scream. “I’m in way over my head. I didn’t think… I didn’t think that-“

_“Shh, shh, calm down. What are you and V doing?”_

I took another deep breath, my breathing restabilizing. “No matter what I’m about to say to you, promise me that _you_ won’t follow me.”

_“Why?”_

“…You’ll be so hurt… God, you’ll be in so much pain.” I realized. “I don’t want you to see…” I bit my tongue. I didn’t want him to see Saeran like this... “I’ll… I’ll tell you when I can guarantee his safety, just please… not now. Promise me, Seven? The minute I say the words to you, you can hate me forever. For now, just promise.”

_“I don’t like this Mi-Yeon…”_

“I know I can’t ask you to trust me after I lied to everyone like that… But please, just once more. This can be the last time you trust my word for anything. Promise, Seven.”

_“You don’t need to protect me.”_

“I _want_ to protect you.”

_“…All right. I won’t go to you. But I’ll be damned even more if I let you get hurt there without doing anything. Promise.”_

“Good.” I sighed in relief. “I need you to track my location and tell Jumin that ten wasn’t enough. There are so many of them here…”

_“Them? Who’s them?”_

“Believers… and-“ I stopped, hearing footsteps outside the door.

 _“And?”_ I could hear his keyboard clicking away. _“Mi-Yeon?”_

The door suddenly opened. I quickly tucked my phone behind my back, preparing to sit on the device if I had to.

“The savior must really like you. These are her favorites.” A woman in disciple robes said, putting down a tray with what was presumably a glass of water and some sweet snacks. “She believes you will be a great asset to Paradise.”

 _“Mi-Yeon?... Paradise…?”_ Since my phone wasn’t on speaker, his voice sounded distant. Thank goodness.

I quickly tapped around my phone screen near where I knew the End Call button was. The faint sound of it disconnecting made me internally sigh in relief.

“You’re not going to eat? Your ceremony will be soon and then you’ll be busy learning all of the joys of Paradise~” The woman sang happily, almost drunkenly.

“And the… sinner? What did you do with him?” I asked.

Her face suddenly went dark, “Don’t worry. He will soon receive the punishment he’s due for betraying our Savior.” Her mood flipped another 180 degrees as she smiled brightly at me and walked out the door. “I can’t wait until you’re one of us!”

I patiently waited for her footsteps to fade away before safely taking out my phone again. I’ll text V. Hopefully he had enough privacy to use his phone.

…How were his eyes? Were they decent enough to see text on a screen? Could he even see exactly what was going on just moments before?

Before I could ponder the thought more, my phone started vibrating in my hands.

 _“Mi-Yeon, thank goodness.”_ V greeted with a sigh.

“Are you okay?”

_“I was about to ask the same thing. You must be so surprised.”_

“V…” I called out softly. “Why… why couldn’t we stop them?”

Why couldn’t you stop her?

_“…Because I had faith that Rika would come back to me. Come back to herself.”_

My phone beeped with an incoming text message. It was Seven. I closed my eyes. What else can I say to him? What will he say to me now? Did Jumin forsake me? I wouldn’t blame them… Any of them.

I was too afraid to find out.

“You have the communication device the security guard gave you, don’t you?”

_“Yes. I believe if they move as one unit to capture or at least stun the disciples while they are focusing on your ceremony, we may be able to catch them by surprise.”_

“Exactly what I was thinking.”

_“Mi-Yeon… Whatever happens, don’t drink what they give you.”_

“You don’t need to tell me twice.”

_“I’ll protect you, because you’re a priceless member of the family. No matter what.”_


	31. ...To Keep Them Safe, Part Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day Fifteen
> 
> “God… I… I ended it. I ended it…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gun Violence Warning!
> 
> (Should I put this in the tags instead?)

An hour passed by without much incident. V had to hang up and hide his phone because the disciples went to visit his cell. Or rather… visited his cell while they put their nonbeliever in an adjacent prison. The disciples liked to come and check on me constantly, as well. I think they were trying to get on my good side because they thought I would be appointed a high-ranking position. Like Saeran.

I wondered how he was doing. Did his pain go away?

I sat on the bed, hugging my knees again; waiting for the next time that accursed door would open. The disciples never gave me more than five minutes to myself. There were so many people…

What made me think this would be easy?

There was a brief knock on the door. It opened before I could even respond.

“The Savior is ready to perform your initiation now.” A disciple informed. They grabbed my wrist and started tugging me out of the room.

Eventually, we made it back to the large front room with a throne in the middle of it. Of course, sitting pretty on the plush chair was Rika. Next to her, loyally, was Saeran. On the other side of the room, I saw a couple of disciples leading V into the room as well.

“Let’s guide the sinners to heaven through the holy cleanse!” The disciples chanted when I was brought in front of Rika. I swallowed nervously.

“Let’s begin the initiation ceremony, once more, for our new disciple. Our precious disciple that has the rest of the _RFA_ in the palm of her hands.” Rika sneered the word. She calmly got out of her chair and stood close to me. “Yes, you will bring, at least, Luciel to paradise, won’t you? I can entrust you with that much, can’t I?”

“Savior! Didn’t you say that you will not accept Luciel as a disciple!?” Saeran suddenly spoke up, marching towards us. “Saeyoung is a traitor! He betrayed me!”

I moved my eyes to look at V. I thought I saw the communication device tucked just under his shirt near his shoulder.

“I told you that Saeyoung will be a great asset to Mint Eye. Do not interrupt the ceremony and leave.” Rika commanded.

“I can be greater than him! …You told me that you chose me instead of him! You said I had greater potential.” Saeran yelled.

“Saeran, I gave you your chance. And you never defeated Saeyoung. You need to know how to accept your failures.”

“You promised… You promised that I’d get my revenge…! I risked my life to get her here! But he’s invited to our everlasting party?! You’re going to let him live?!”

I nodded to V, hoping he would see the gesture even with his worsening eyesight. While everyone was focused on their argument, this was the perfect time to surprise them.

“Saeran, how foolish you are. Well, I suppose we have to get rid of rotten leaves for new ones to grow.” Rika sighed.

“Do you mean I have to be happy with him here? He has no right to be happy! You’re the one who told me what he did to me!” Saeran continued his tirade.

I felt sick to my stomach. What did she do to him?

“Mint Eye wants a greater and more beautiful future! You have done great enticing this one here. You will be rewarded for that.”

“I don’t need a reward! Letting Luciel live is betraying my faith!” Saeran yelled, tears of frustration welling up in his eyes.

“Believers,” Rika called out uninterestedly.

“Yes, Savior!”

“Paradise will only come once he’s gone!” Saeran argued.

“Take Saeran away. He needs to be brainwashed again.” Rika said, ignoring him now.

Brainwashed…!

Before I could react, Saeran pushed at the disciple that was still holding onto me. I saw him grab something from the disciple but I couldn’t tell exactly what it was.

Just then, the doors crashed open.

“Mi-Yeon, come here!” V said worriedly, knocking the two disciples that were watching him off balance while their attention was towards the door. I lightly jogged my way over to him, anxiously keeping an eye on Saeran. “Are you hurt?”

“No, I’m okay. Are you?”

“Me, too. I’m glad.” V sighed in relief.

“Everyone, freeze! Don’t move!” The head of security yelled. Him and the rest of the team barged in.

“Saeran…!” I hesitantly called out. My eyes widened when I saw what was in his hands. Some of the disciples carried guns?

The ones who did also took theirs out. “Protect the Savior!”

I watched in vain as the sheer number of disciples Rika had managed to gather quickly overtook the security guards. The minute the guards were able to defend themselves from one, there was another already taking the fallen disciple’s place. Even if Jumin responded to my urgent request, Mint Eye was still five hours away. I looked around, hoping to find something that I could help with. Anything…!

“Disciples! Do not be alarmed! This is only a test given to us!” Rika yelled into the chaos. “Give him the meds! Give Saeran the medicine of salvation… Now!”

“Don’t.” I said under my breath, going back to him.

“Mi-Yeon,” V tried to warn me.

“Saeran, come with me.” I urged him. I was halfway to him before the carefully controlled chaos erupted.

“Do not resist!” A disciple yelled.

“Get away from me! All of you! Don’t come near me…” Saeran screamed, his voice breaking into a plea. He held his head with one hand and the gun in the other. “If you come near me, I’ll shoot you!!”

I heard him mumbling to himself, like he was hallucinating.

Or rather…

He was remembering.

“Saeyoung… Where are you? Mom’s scaring me… Did dad get you? Saeyoung, I’m lonely… Saeyoung… Betrayed me. No… He would never. He abandoned his real name and became Luciel. He went abroad by himself. There’s no way he left me… It’s all a lie! He forgot all about me and is living a good life. I’m weak and worthless… At least he’ll have a good life. Saeyoung abandoned me. I’m going to kill him so that he can never lie to me. He did not abandon me… He abandoned me. I miss you. The day I see you again, I will make sure you writhe in pain!”

Saeran clenched his teeth, taking in a pained breath. “Ugh… what… My head… it hurts…”

“What’s going on?” V asked in horror.

Could he see?

“My head… I feel like my head’s going to explode…!” Saeran growled.

“Put your weapon down!” A guard yelled, pointing his own gun at Saeran. The other disciples quickly mauled the guard.

“Lock him up!” Rika commanded.

“If you come near me, I’ll shoot you! Just… Just leave me alone… Ugh… My head. Damn it!” Saeran turned to his Savior. “Savior, there’s no way you’d do this to me… You’re the one who saved me. You’re the first one to truly love me…! You’d never betray me… No way you’d do this to me… but you’ve changed. Ever since that man came…!”

What… was he going to do?

I took a couple steps back, back to V’s side. I reached my arm out just slightly.

“This is all because of you… It’s all because of you… that this happened to me!” Saeran screeched, his voice ringing in my ears like a malfunctioning in-ear monitor. He aimed…

“V…!” I breathily gasped, yanking his arm towards me. His body weight collided into me. The rubber on my shoes stuck to the floor, making me lose my balance. The two of us crashed to the ground, making my body’s pain receptors erupt. The air was forced out of my lungs.

“Ha…” V soundlessly screamed. Warm liquid spilled onto me, the sensation tickling my neck as it slid down my nape.

I turned my head, coughing as my lungs screamed to be filled. I carefully slid V’s body to the side and off of me. “V…” I gently set him down and got up to kneel beside him.

Rika suddenly screamed.

I only glanced at her briefly before assessing V once more. There was a lot of blood. I prodded at his clothing, seeing where the bullet entered. Was that a fatal spot? Did the bullet pierce through? Was it still in there? I silently apologized as I put all of my weight onto my hands and pressed down. Pressure helped slow the bleeding.

“Ms. Cho.” A security guard hurried over while another one kept the captured disciples in their area in a tight circle. “I know first aid. Allow me.”

“Thanks.” I said in relief, removing my hands when the guard gave the signal. Rika tumbled over to us and fell to her knees.

“God… I… I ended it. I ended it…” Saeran huffed.

“Are…are you leaving…?” Rika fell to her knees, clutching her hair. “Ah… Ha… ah…”

“Don’t cry…” V replied weakly.

“Are you leaving?” Rika repeated.

“Rika... I’m always… with you… Like the sun.”

“Ha…” Rika cried out.

“Love of my soul… Rika.”

She screamed as V closed his eyes. Her voice so loud it vibrated the air.

“He will need medical attention as soon as possible.” The security guard informed me in a low voice, keeping a wary eye on the cult leader while tending to V.

“She’s too mentally distraught to do anything. Just make sure she doesn’t hurt herself.” I said, getting up and turning to my own soul mate. I started to slowly approach him again.

He wouldn’t hurt me. I had faith in him.

…Rika hurt V.

Blind faith.

We were blind.

The soul may be old, but the mind was always new. Our past and experiences were once again original novelties. A person’s essence being molded anew as a fresh life started. Every soul had its own, innate, personality. The next path we took in the maturity of such a character was never the same.

Rika… had a mind so severely broken by others… A mind in so many pieces that not even her soul mate had a chance to heal her in time… There were no more opportunities to mend her inborn charm and allow it to blossom before her world crumbled and distorted. Because of this… because of other souls who touched a new life… Soul mates _fail_. They fail and become the worse kinds of existences for each other – the most destructive relationship.

The most beautiful of tragedies.

“…”

“You, too. Ever since I saw you at the apartment… since you appeared, my head keeps splitting in two. Like _him_ , this is your entire fault.” He raised the gun again. “If I just get rid of you, too, this will all disappear, right? It’s your entire fault.”

I stared down the barrel of the gun, the dark abyss staring right back.

“Sae-“ My voice was nothing more than a hoarse whisper. A croak. Even my voice was paralyzed in fear.

He wanted to kill me. He was _going_ to _kill_ me.

…Saeran and I…

…Too?

Maybe he was right. Maybe I was the source of all his agonies – why he looked like he was in so much pain with me around. The small portion of my childhood that I spent discussing soul mates with my parents raced through my mind. Instinctively, souls reached out to each other. To heal one another. However, if the mind rejected such a healing… It would feel like a slow, painful torture. Like what V's soul did to Rika's mind...

It was my fault.

We were failures.

“Ms. Cho!” A security guard yelled. The noise seemed so distant.

It was like nothing else existed but him, the gun he was holding, and me. Everything else was disappearing. Time stood still…

…That wasn’t true. Since…

No matter who you are.

No matter what happened.

Joyous or Merciless.

Time will forever continue onward.

Before the rest of his name could leave my lips, the sound of the weapon releasing its attack enveloped the room once more.

Our beautiful tragedy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have a Spoopy Halloween! ^^
> 
> That is, if you live in an area that celebrates the commercialized version of the holiday. Otherwise, have a good day!


	32. Cut From The Same Cloth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day Fifteen
> 
> "The whole ordeal took less than a day, yet it felt like an eternity."

I fell to my knees. The loud pounding of my heart was the only sound echoing in my ears. Was I even breathing? My muscles were trembling. The people around me were still distant to my senses.

Time remained stopped.

The gun clattered to the floor.

Saeran followed me to the ground, holding his head in confusion. In disbelief.

“Why… Why can’t I end this?” Saeran bemoaned pitifully.

He… re-aimed. He missed.

I’m… alive.

I took a shaky breath, “S-Saeran…”

“What makes you so different from him?!” He suddenly screamed, looking me straight in the eye as tears fell from his. “Why does everything hurt…?”

People calling my name. Rika’s continued mental breakdown. Disciples getting captured. Disciples becoming violent. Security personnel barking out orders. The sounds started returning to my eardrums.

I’m alive.

The cold temperature of the floor seeped through my clothing. The heat of so many bodies in one area permeated the air. The unsteady tremors in my body.

I’m alive.

Oh God… I exhaled all of the tension in my body. I’m alive.

Together, just scant feet away from each other, we sat on the floor. I felt the leftover energy I had deplete from my body. Nonetheless, I put my hands on the icy floor and crawled over to him.

“No… Please… Leave me alone.” Saeran whimpered. He held his head between his raised knees. “Stop… I…”

“Saeran…” I whispered, settling next to him. “Let’s go home, Saeran.”

My vision was blurry. I suddenly realized… I was crying too.

“Home?”

“The place where we’re safe.” I promised. It might not welcome me any longer, but at least Seven would save him. Saeyoung would definitely save him.

I didn’t notice before, but with the front doors wide open, I heard the forest bustling with frenzied winds.

“Drop your weapons! Everyone, hands where I can see them!” A new voice yelled powerfully. I watched in surprise as people in armored vests rushed into the building. Looking outside, the wind shifted direction, making the branches bend the other way.

A helicopter was turning around.

“Mi-Yeon.” A deep voice called.

I looked up. He came. “Jumin…”

At my voice, Saeran raised his head. His eyes met that of the businessman’s. Saeran bit his lip so hard it started to bleed. A suppressed scream leaked out. His eyes suddenly rolled back and he fell onto me. My elbow nearly buckled, but, somehow, I kept us upright.

Were the side effects of the drug and his soul reconnecting too much for him?

“This isn’t the time to answer my questions.” Jumin said tersely, easily lifting Saeran away from me. “We have to get V to a hospital. My helicopter is landing in a clearing nearby. We’ll use that.”

“Saeran, too. He’s been taking a weird concoction of drugs.” I said as sturdily as I could. “Well… everyone here has been taking it.”

“I will prepare everything on our way.” Jumin got up, handing the unconscious Saeran to a security guard to carry. “Can you stand? Are you hurt?”

I looked away and nodded. I… can’t look him in the eye. I got up from the ground. “I… I need to see Seven.” From the corner of my eye, I could see Jumin hold in a frustrated sigh.

“You can’t avoid this, Mi-Yeon. What in the world were you thinking?” He very nearly lost his calm composure as he turned to me. Then he did sigh. “Very well. Go with one of the vans. I need to contact the hospital.”

“I’m sorry.” I felt like a broken record.

Jumin didn’t say more as he reached for the collar of my jacket and slightly pulled it back. He ran a finger over my smooth skin before turning me around and prodding at my upper back. “Are you certain you are not injured? With all of the adrenaline, no doubt, coursing through your body, you may not feel it at this instance.”

I shook my head. “You should focus on V. I’m… I’m fine.”

I could feel Jumin’s aggravated aura clashing against mine. “Call me when you safely make it to Luciel’s.” He turned me back around. “No excuses.”

“I understand.” I easily agreed. Jumin stared into my eyes for a moment longer before taking control of the situation. He had a team escort me to Seven’s home while he took V and Saeran to the hospital with the helicopter. The other disciples, Rika included, were captured and also sent to a medical facility.

It was over… It was finally over.

The whole ordeal took less than a day, yet it felt like an eternity.

I closed my eyes and leaned my head back against the headrest in the van. I could finally focus on just breathing.

…No. I didn’t have that luxury. I opened my eyes, staring blankly at the ceiling. I didn’t deserve such a luxury. I lied to them, and instead of being able to deal with it myself, I needed to ask them for favors again. Now… I… needed to rip open Seven’s past wounds…

I was sorry for how things turned out. But… I just couldn’t turn away from Saeran. I couldn’t leave him to suffer all alone.

It took hours to get back to the city, and almost another hour to get to Seven’s home. Jumin must be at the hospital already, busy with the preparations and medical procedures that needed approval and such. Busy creating a story for how all of this came about.

“Ms. Cho?” The driver called softly. “We have arrived.”

“Thank you. And I’m sorry, for all of this.” I said sincerely, snapping back to my senses.

“No need, Ms. Cho. We are just doing our jobs.” The driver said, tipping his head in a small bow. “Shall we await your return?”

“It might take a while. I… need to explain things…”

“Understood. Do not worry.”

A different security guard riding with us opened my door for me. I nodded in thanks to all of them and went to Seven’s door. I couldn’t even ring the doorbell before the door burst open.

“Mi-Yeon,” He said in relief. I saw him tense up again. “What the hell happened? You’re covered in blood! Damn, are you hurt?” Seven gently tugged me inside. “Don’t stand out there like this where someone can see you.”

Oh, that’s right. My whole, upper left torso was covered in blood. That must be why Jumin looked me over, as well.

“I’m… It’s not mine.” I said gently as he brought me towards the open space of the living room and unzipped my jacket.

“Then who the hells is it? This is a lot…” Seven scrutinized, looking for any holes in my clothing that would indicate that a weapon had pierced into me.

“I need to tell you something.” I whispered, ignoring his question.

“Yeah, like what was so important that you lied to Jumin. To all of us.” He said absently, still checking to see if my skin remained unblemished by a wound.

I paused. “You know our seventh soul mate. The light blue one.” He looked up at me in surprise, but it quickly faded. “Why… didn’t you tell us?”

Seven stood up straight. “You’re avoiding what I’m asking you.”

“So are you.”

How many frustrated sighs have I heard today? “That mark has been a different temperature since I was little. I can’t remember exactly when I met them. I didn’t have the time to think about soul mates living… in the house that I did. No one told me about the concept either. So it became what it did. Your turn.”

I swallowed the lump in my throat. “The hacker who broke into the apartment is our soul mate. I… couldn’t leave him in that place.”

“Why didn’t you tell us?”

My eyes prickled. Seven… threw away everything for his brother. “Forgive me, Saeyoung.”

His face went pale and his eyes widened. He stepped closer to me in a panic, making me take a step back. My leg bumped against the couch cushions.

“Why… Why do you know that name? Mi-Yeon, what do you know?!”

“I made a deal with V and we went there to free him from Rika.” Seven narrowed his eyes. “I went there to get Saeran.”

“What…?” He whispered in disbelief. To him, I didn’t answer quickly enough. He pushed me down onto the couch, caging my body to the furniture to stare directly into my eyes. “What did you just say…!?”

“I’m sorry-”

“I don’t want you to apologize! What did you just say?!” He yelled.

“…Saeran was the hacker.” I replied calmly.

“Why… Why didn’t you tell us? Why didn’t you tell me?!” The wheels seemed to be turning in his head, everything clicking into place. Seven let out a dry, unamused laugh. “You two…”

…?

“You two… are so…” He continued to laugh, his fist clenching beside my shoulders. “Do they all turn out like that? Everyone who is left to fend for themselves as children, but are loved… What? You turn into artists to express abandonment? Your sorrows?! Thinking you can do everything by yourself just because you have your whole life…” Saeyoung’s eyes were filled with fury. “Why?! He’s _my_ brother! Why didn’t you tell _me?!_ And whose blood is this? What happened to him?!”

“It’s V’s...”

He breathily laughed again – a strange mixture of relief and shock. “You damn artists with your fucking secrets… You and V, you’re cut from the same cloth. Clean off the blood and go home, Mi-Yeon.”

With that, Seven got off of me and hurried to the back of his home. I heard him slam a door open and close, followed by the roaring of a car engine.

…Cut from the same cloth, huh?

I didn’t have the will to move from where he left me. As the seconds ticked by, his home became increasingly quiet. Increasingly cold.

I was alone.

Yes… this familiar feeling. Perhaps this was where I belonged, all along. This was what I knew best. Maybe… this was the _only_ thing I knew. The _only_ place I fit. In solitude and in silence.

Eventually, I reached for my phone, holding it above my eyes.

My hands were dyed red.

….Was it my fault? Did I… do that to V? To Rika?

To Saeran?

My phone screen remained black as I stared past the object to my dirtied hands. If I hadn’t… If I hadn’t put the icy walls back up around my heart and allowed V to keep his secrets… Would things have been different?

Was I arrogant?

I… only wanted to protect them. If I was the one who got hurt, then so be it… But…

…In the end, I was just a burden.

I plucked up the courage and unlocked my phone. Like I promised, I called Jumin.

I received a beep in response instead of the usual ringing, signaling that he was on the line with someone else.

I hung up and let my arm fall. I was always just a nuisance, wasn’t I?

Did I shine best when I lived and worked by myself and only for myself? Or perhaps… Only when I wasn’t with my soul mates?

What good did I ever bring them?

I met them because a hacker was attacking their organization. I couldn’t help them when they were at their lowest. I was just another person they had to look after during those dangerous times. I left them with problems that they had to clean up. I brought to them an entire religious cult – an entire group needing medical and psychological attention.

I left their home charred and tattered.

I stared blankly at the traffic light hanging overhead. My mind and my body were finally slowing down. It turned out… that solitude and silence were truly the finest for me…

If I loved them, I should let them go.

I was the soul that failed.

I was the soul that no longer fit.

I was just another broken mind, stumbling along an uncharted path.

Alone.


	33. Peaceful Sky

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day Fifteen, Day Sixteen
> 
> "People were like roses with thorns."

He groaned lowly. His head was pounding like it was about to explode. Opening his eyes cautiously, he slowly looked over the room he was in. After a moment, he realized that he wasn’t physically in the room, rather he was watching from the outside. Like a ghost.

He knew this place.

He used to live here…

_“Saeyoung… Mommy said that I’m a monster who should have never been born…”_

_“She just got drunk and said whatever she wanted again… She does that a lot. Saeran, cheer up. Want to go for some ice cream?”_

_“Mommy tied up my foot… She said if I leave, she wouldn’t give me anything to eat tomorrow.”_

_“She stays away from home for two to three hours at a time when she goes out these days. Let’s go. She won’t find out.”_

He remembered this well. It was the first time he could eat something so delightful and stare openly at the sky, unobstructed by the window glass. His leg muscles were too weak to carry his body weight from never being able to use them. So, Saeyoung half carried him all the way to get ice cream.

The sky… The blue sky… Even now, tucked away in his memory, the sky back then was the most beautiful he had ever seen. A sky he would never forget.

_“You know, Saeyoung, why do clouds always look different? Last time, I saw one that looked like a bunny, but today they look like pieces of cotton candy. Do clouds change their shape every day?”_

_“I don’t really look up at the sky often, so I don’t know. They all seem the same to me.”_

When Saeyoung was out, the clouds were his only friends. Tied in that room, all by himself, the most he could do was stare out the window. Saeyoung should look at the sky more often. It was… peaceful. He wished for Saeyoung to live a more peaceful life.

_“It’s amazing… I hope they change all the time. I just want to sit outside and stare at the clouds all day. Just staring at the clouds… without being afraid that mommy will come back. I’ll be able to do anything when I become an adult.”_

_“I’m going to free you before you become an adult.”_

_“Okay…”_

_“Some day, you and I will get out of this place.”_

Saeyoung always said things like that. He remembered just smiling at his brother. But inside, he knew he would probably die before becoming an adult. The one time he said it aloud to Saeyoung, he got yelled at.

_“I want to be like you…”_

_“We’re twins. You’re me… and I’m you.”_

They were identical twins, but Saeyoung was always stronger. Mother always tortured him more than Saeyoung; he was always left weak. If one was strong, then so was the other, Saeyoung said once.

If only that were true…

“…-Ran… Saeran…”

He heard something… His world was turning black again. The blue sky was disappearing. Wait… He wanted to see that sky longer. That peaceful, clear blue sky when he and Saeyoung got ice cream. When he and Saeyoung were still brothers… When Saeyoung still loved him…

“He needs rest. Please go back.”

“My brother… He’s my brother! Saeran! Saeran!”

He grumbled as his mind rushed back into consciousness. Into a body that shouldn’t have survived those childhood years. Into a body that was so clearly failing still… He slightly opened his eyes.

“Visiting hours are over.”

“Please, give me five minutes with him. He’s my brother…! This is the first time he’s opened his eyes…”

“…All right. Five minutes.”

His vision was blurry, but he saw someone in a white garb walking out the door. Where… was he? What happened to him…?

“Saeran…! Saeran… I’m so glad you’re awake. I’m so… so glad… You’re alive.” Someone said to him. He couldn’t make out their face right away, but the closer they got, the more his eyes could focus on the details. “How do you feel? Do you feel any pain? Any migraines…?”

This person… looked like what Saeyoung would look like at this age… Perhaps… he _was_ Saeyoung. But why would his brother be here…? “Ugh…” His head was throbbing.

“What’s wrong?”

He stared blearily at the man who looked so concerned. Saeyoung… looked anxious. The more he stared, the more he remembered.

_“Who is this person?”_

_“My brother who abandoned me… He abandoned me, the memories, his name… He went off to live on his own. The devil.”_

_“Yes, you’re right.”_

_“What is this mark? It always heats up when that devil is around.”_

_“It’s a soul mate crest. He branded you, Saeran. Branded you to say that you are his toy to play with and torture. These souls will be the first to betray you. Abandon you. Meet one, and any time they are nearby, it will heat up like hell is getting closer. Soul mates are the worse kinds of people for your soul.”_

Oh, that’s right. Savior always warned him. This person… was the one who abandoned him.

_“I thought he was once a good boy. He cherished you, loved you, and gave you hope saying that he’d escape with you… But they were all lies V ordered him to say.”_

_“…”_

_“Oh no, don’t be sad, Saeran. V just tainted him… so unfortunate. He was so talented. You cannot trust Saeyoung… I mean, Luciel. If you do, you will be faced with an unrecoverable disease in your mind. Your soul will cry because you ignored its warning. Then no one will be able to save you. So…never…ever…trust this person again.”_

He couldn’t trust this person… But what about… her?

She was the only one in his entire existence to…

_“You don’t want to live with people like that woman again, do you? This is all so that you can live.”_

So that he could live…

“Saeran..?” Saeyoung called out softly. “Your head still hurts, right? I’ll call the nurse.”

He left… Only to come back in with someone else.

“I’m going to take your blood pressure before I give you more pain medication. Just a moment…”

…No… Don’t… Please, leave him alone. He didn’t want to get hurt anymore. He yanked his arm back. “Get lost!”

“Oh my god!” The nurse gasped.

“Saeran?”

“Don’t come near me… I’m going to kill you all!” Being aggressive comforted him. People stayed away when he was like this. He was safe when he was like this. He was safe from Saeyoung when he was like this.

Saeyoung looked away with a pained expression. He then put on a poker face and calmed the nurse down, having the medical personnel go back outside the room.

Saeran felt bad for that hurt look on his brother’s face, but he had to do this. For his survival… However, there was one thing he wanted to know… “Where’s that girl, huh? Too scared to come see me now? Even after all of her pathetic pleas of belonging somewhere and home?” He laughed cruelly.

“…Girl?”

“The idiot I lured in through your precious little messenger? Don’t tell me she lost her nerve after I shot her just once? The bullet went straight pass her head. That’s enough to scare her?”

“You shot a gun at her…?!” Saeyoung gulped, disbelief written all over his face as it went pale. He took a breath. “…If you tried to… kill her… why are you asking about her?”

Saeran shifted his gaze to the other side of the room. Through the curtains, he could see that the sky was dark and night had fallen. Without meaning to, he whispered, “She’s the only one who has ever kept a promise to me…”

“What was that, Saeran?”

“I said it’s none of your goddamn business!” Saeran yelled, whipping his head back around to stare Saeyoung straight in the eyes. If Saeyoung didn’t know he held her at gunpoint then she was probably safe somewhere. Safe enough that Saeyoung didn’t need to worry about her. That was all he needed to know. “Why are you still in front of my eyes?! Get lost before I do the same thing to you! And I won’t miss this time! Disappear from my eyes!”

Saeyoung closed his mouth as if he’s holding back his emotions. Just like when they were kids. Saeyoung was always the stronger one. Saeyoung would get out before becoming an adult, and they both knew it.

“…I’ll come back later.”

Saeyoung left without a single glance back. Seeing him leave made Saeran feel so much more comfortable. People were like roses with thorns. Everyone hurt him when they got near. Saeyoung, their mother, their father, V, and even Savior…

He… didn’t fit well with people. The only defense that wasn’t stripped away yet was his own thorns.

He wished people would leave him alone.

He didn’t want to be hurt anymore…

The next time Saeran woke up, he heard voices from just the other side of the wall. Looking through the slim viewing window on the door, he saw Jumin Han’s assistant, Jaehee Kang, talking to a doctor.

“Peyote cactus… methanol… mushrooms… I can’t determine the rest of the ingredients.” The doctor listed off. “It will take a long time to remove all these substances from his body. It will depend on the patient’s will. It is remarkable that he managed to come this far with this body. I cannot believe he was required to actively use his brain in this state…”

“Anyways… please do everything you can to ensure a fast recovery.” Jaehee said, tilting her head slightly in thanks.

“I will do my best, as Mr. Han requested.” The doctor replied. “I won’t ask any more on this situation. Then I’ll get going. Please tell Mr. Han I said hello.”

“Of course. Thank you.” Jaehee let out a big sigh, leaning against the door. “…Saeran Choi. Luciel’s twin. Their biological mother committed suicide two years and six months ago. According to our information, their biological father is… this country’s current prime minister. The prime minister’s illegitimate twins… god… When this gets out, even Mr. Han won’t be able to protect them.”

Tch. Saeran didn’t need protection from _that_ man. He’ll be betrayed in the end. The same as Saeyoung did. Saeran watched as Jaehee made a call on her cell phone and started leaving the building.

Good. She left him in peace.

Left him alone.

Turning in his bed, he spotted the clear blue sky. The clouds were slowly shifting through the vast world. They were fluffy, like cotton candy. Just like when…

Saeran fisted his hands tightly.

The rest of the morning and afternoon was spent with him yelling at all of the medical staff that tried to do anything to him. They quickly checked the machines attached to him and left. They put down a tray of food on the bedside table and ran away. Anytime they tried to force something into his body, he violently lashed out. The floor of his room was fairly spotless now after they had to clean up the IV bag he threw there.

Saeran lay on his bed with his back facing the door. He wanted to watch the sky. That’s all he ever wanted.

If only they could go back to the time they were happy. Carefree, if only for a moment. If only they could enjoy ice cream under that peaceful sky together, just once more…

There was suddenly a commotion outside. “Oh, please, you don’t want to go into that room. That patient is extremely violent.”

“That’s all right. If he hurts me, I won’t hold it against the hospital.”

“Are you a relative?”

“Hmm… A friend? Don’t worry, it will only be for a minute.”

“…Scream if you need any help. Or throw something at the door.”

“Sure.”

Saeran heard the person knock on his door. He stubbornly kept his back towards it. A mark on his left forearm was warming up. Saeyoung… The door opened softly and closed. They walked towards him, a plastic bag rustling with their movements. Saeran tensed up. They reached into the bag and pulled something out, about to place it down.

Rapidly, Saeran turned around and caught the person’s wrist, holding on tightly enough to bruise. He looked up and was met with the startled eyes of a female.

Oh… it wasn’t Saeyoung’s crest that warmed up. It was the one directly above it. Mi-Yeon’s.

“You’re awake.” She said lightly, like he wasn’t about to snap her tiny wrist in two.

Letting go, Saeran looked away. “What are you doing here? Leave me alone.”

“A little birdie told me you like ice cream. I got some for you.”

He turned back and saw what was in her hand. A packaged ice cream cone. “I don’t need your charity.”

“Not charity. A personal gift. Hospitals aren’t very fun, but something sweet always cheers me up.”

“Don’t think I’m like you…”

“Of course not.” She laughed gently, holding out the treat. “Here, indulge in my presence for just a little while.”

Was that the only catch? All he had to do was put up with her for ‘a little while?’ She patiently waited for him to take it while he stared at her with skepticism. He didn’t trust her… but the aura she always had around her made him feel… calmer. More at ease than when Saeyoung or those nurses and doctors, anyways. But that didn’t change the fact that her presence once made his head pulse with pain. Saeran took it tenderly; ready to throw it across the room the moment something was strange.

Everyone had thorns. Even this girl.

Mi-Yeon smiled, easily handing it over. She then reached back into the bag and pulled out a Melona Bar, which was just melon-flavored ice cream on a stick. She put the convenient store plastic bag in the trash bin and opened up her own treat, putting the wrapper in the trash as well. She sat in the chair with the bedside table in between them and pulled out her phone.

What… was she doing?

“It’s not going to taste very good when it melts.” Mi-Yeon prodded, giving a small lick to her ice cream.

…Right… He opened the package while watching her. This girl… was strange. He tried to put a bullet in her head. He used her to infiltrate the RFA. Tried to kidnap her. Saeran stared at her screen, watching her movements carefully. For keeping her promise to him, he’d tuck away his thorns for now – just until she showed hers as well. He knew she would soon.

Notes application. Opening a saved file. The words typed on it were… strangely fragmented. Not quite complete sentences, but not incoherent either.

“You want to try?” She asked curiously, tilting her ice cream towards him. He wasn’t staring at that, but maybe she’d go away sooner if he made her mad – like the others. The sooner he could get her to show what she was really after, the sooner he could relax completely.

Saeran nodded. Mi-Yeon reached over the bedside table. He took a big bite, breaking the bar further down. Instead of anger, he got a look of concern from her. “If you eat that much at once, you’ll get brain freeze. And just because it melts, doesn’t mean you can’t choke on it.”

“Hmph.” He harrumphed, turning his head away so he didn’t show her that his teeth were starting to freeze and tingle uncomfortably. Stubbornly, he chewed, making the sweet treat melt faster in his mouth. When Saeran slowly turned back to watch her, he saw her biting her lip, trying to hide her amusement, eyes back on her phone. He felt his cheeks heat up, angrily taking a small chomp into his cone.

Silence ensued. It wasn’t as tense as Saeran thought it would be, but his guard was still up. After a while, he broke the quietness, “Hey. Tell me something.”

“Hm? What is it?”

“…What…. Why do soul mates exist?”

Mi-Yeon tilted her head in confusion but didn’t ask anymore questions. “Your soul mate is the soul that fell in love with and made a promise to your soul, and vice versa. A soul you met in heaven. It’s someone you couldn’t live without. Their support is what you need to push through the next day, even if you didn’t know you needed it. At least, that’s what romantics say.”

“…And what do you say?”

“Hmm…” She hummed. Saeran noticed she had this faraway look in her eyes. “It’s not as though the relationship has to be romantic, but… I suppose now I believe that loving someone also means letting them go if you’re hurting them. Humans are variable. Adaptable. We do what we can to survive the environment we were put in, and sometimes that leaves soul mates on paths that go in different directions. Paths that clash so badly that they bring out the worse in each other instead of the best.”

Mi-Yeon blinked, coming back to herself. She smiled. “But you don’t have to worry. Even if you let go of each other, they’ll always, at least, try to save you from the water.”

He was right. This girl was strange. Did she, or did she not believe in these stupid marks? She sounded like she wholeheartedly did when they first met face-to-face. Now… what changed? If she didn’t anymore, why was she even here?

“Oh, visiting hours are almost over. And Seo-Yeon is going to get mad at me if I miss dinner again.” Mi-Yeon suddenly realized. She stood up from the chair, gathering her things. “Recover well. Goodbye, Saeran.”

He watched her put on an anti-dust mask and walk to the door without turning back. Why… did it feel like this would be the last time he saw her? If he never saw her again, it was all the better for him. “Wait…”

Why did he just stop her?

“Saeran?” Mi-Yeon wondered, turning to meet his eyes.

“…” He clenched his teeth together. What was he thinking? He was just going to get himself hurt. Why?! Why…? “…Bring me ice cream again.”

“Oh… Sure…” She said slowly, surprised by his sudden request.

Saeran turned away sharply, biting his tongue. The blue sky was turning orange. He felt her eyes on him, probably searching for the reason he said that. He wanted that answer, as well. Mi-Yeon didn’t linger long. The moment he heard the door softly click shut, he let out the breath he was holding.

That girl was strange. Definitely.


	34. One Last Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day Sixteen
> 
> "I bid farewell, leaving behind a single, peach colored rose."

The morning air was refreshing. I took a deep breath while I walked down the sidewalk where the bus stop was and towards the hospital. It wasn’t the best breath I’ve ever had, since I had an anti-dust mask on, but the air was so crisp it almost didn’t seem like it mattered. Staring at the blue sky, I sighed.

This… was a mess. I hoped Jumin and Jaehee were doing all right with the investigation and all of the cover-ups. This was my entire fault, but I didn’t know how to help them. The only thing I could do was not making it any more difficult for them.

Entering the hospital, I asked the receptionist for his room number. Getting what I needed, I thanked them and made my way through the building. Reading the names on the panels beside the doors, I stopped at the one I was looking for and knocked.

“Come in!”

I opened the door, my heart lurching in relief as I saw him sitting up in his hospital bed. Awake. Alive. “V.”

“Mi-Yeon, you came to visit.” V smiled. “Good. I wanted to say thank you. Thank you for… looking out for me. I’m really happy that you’re safe and uninjured.”

I shook my head, moving a chair to sit beside the bed. “I should be apologizing, instead. I’m sorry for getting you into that situation… and I’m sorry for… everything I did to you beforehand.”

V just chuckled, like it was no big deal. He then became somber. “Will you tell me now? Why you ever needed such a side to yourself?”

“Seven said to me that we were cut from the same cloth.” I started. “But, unlike you, I was more prone to close off my heart. You… You seem to have your heart on your sleeve no matter what happens. I’m a little jealous.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Turns out, both you and I, seem to have grown up without much interaction with our parents. We had ourselves and only ourselves to depend on, and I guess that carried on into adulthood. Right?”

“I see. Your parents are famous musicians, aren’t they? I remember Luciel saying something like that.”

I nodded. “They were always away for concerts and the like.”

“…I understand that feeling…” He replied slowly. Reminiscing. Although I was sure the circumstances weren’t exactly the same, the loneliness must have been similar. No one was there when we needed help. The only choice left was to figure things out for ourselves. Become strongly independent.

“Out of all of the RFA… I think we understood each other the most. So much so that we misunderstood each other.” I continued softly. “So, V, for everything, I’m really sorry.”

“You protected the RFA in the same manner I did. You don’t have to apologize.” He paused. “I only wish…”

He didn’t have to say more. I understood.

If only he could’ve saved her. If only he was strong enough to stop her.

But we were never the type to depend on someone. And if we couldn’t overcome the situation ourselves, things were bound to get out of hand. If we were the only ones to get hurt because we weren’t strong enough, then that was all right. Because we were weak. Because we didn’t want to be a bother to someone. Because we didn’t want to drag anyone else into our hell.

Because I was worthless if I didn’t meet the expectations others had of me.

“You really didn’t get hurt, right? You’re not hiding an injury?” V asked worriedly.

Even after all of this, he wanted to protect me. I smiled at him in return. “Jumin made it in time.”

I wanted to protect him, too. Because he was the leader of our RFA family. Because a family made by choice was as precious and as priceless as a family made by blood.

“Thanks for calling him for help. That was a good decision you made.”

One last time, I wanted to protect him. To make up for what I did. “What do you want me to do with the papers? If Jumin and Jaehee know about them, they’ll go directly towards the investigation.”

Personally, I didn’t truly care what befell Rika. Saeran was safe and sound, and that was what mattered most to me. For the people affected, I’m sure they hoped she served the justice they deserved. However, for V… For Jihyun Kim, I hoped he would heal. No matter what way he decided was best for his peace of mind.

He stayed silent for a couple minutes, staring down at his hands. “…Perhaps that is best.”

“If you’re certain.”

V smiled bitterly. “Jumin hasn’t interrogated me yet, but I’m sure he’s about to explode.”

“You read him well. As expected of a friendship that has lasted two decades.” I laughed gently. “I’ll make sure to keep them safe until the time comes.”

“Yes, I trust you.”

One last time… I’ll be there for him. For them. “They might not be your soul mates, but it doesn’t mean they can’t help you escape your ocean. Your pains. You’ve known them for a long time. Your friendship is stronger than this.”

“I hope so. They are… all I have.” V trailed off. “Oh, have you visited Saeran? How is he? I haven’t heard anything from Jumin.”

“No, I haven’t…” I replied. Truth was, I was afraid of running into Seven. I didn’t, particularly, want to bump into Jumin, either, but the businessman seemed like the safer option. “They are… rather cross with me.”

“Maybe, but they would never stop you from visiting.” V encouraged. “I’ll tell you something about the twins, Saeyoung and Saeran. You can bribe your way in, if you want.”

“Bribe?”

“It was a fond memory for both of them. I’m not really sure exactly what about it made it so special, but they have a soft spot for ice cream.” V chuckled. “Whenever I caught Saeyoung thinking about his brother, he’d want ice cream. I’m sure it would work on Saeran, too. Even if he does say he hates Saeyoung.”

“I see…” I blinked in surprise. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

We chatted for a few more minutes before I checked the time. I had an early afternoon class to attend at my university, and it was quite a distance from this hospital. I bid farewell to V, wishing him a fast recovery, leaving behind a single, peach colored rose in a thin vase.

Ice cream, huh?

I debated with myself for the entire time I was at my university. Was it a good idea to visit? Would Seven only be angry at me? Would Saeran? Thinking back on it, I destroyed their entire worlds. Seven, who thought Saeran was safely living peacefully somewhere, was forced to realize that his brother was the very hacker he was fighting. And I took away the only place where Saeran felt like he belonged, where he mattered.

Perhaps… just one visit wouldn’t hurt. I promised myself that, to save them from me, I would go my separate way. Just one last time, for the first time, I wanted to look at Saeran and truly see him. Before I left for good, I wanted to remember him.

It was fast approaching evening when my last class ended. I took the bus that took me back towards the hospital, carefully keeping my mask on. Instead of getting off at the stop nearest to the hospital, I got off one stop early and went into the closest convenient store.

I wonder what kind of ice cream they liked… A cone with vanilla ice cream mixed with chocolate syrup was one of my favorites. It wasn’t too unique in any way, so I suppose it was a safe choice. Melon ice cream was also really good, but it didn’t suit everyone. Though, it was rather popular, nowadays, and Seven was always up for trying something new. I decided to go with those two choices.

Luckily it wasn’t a far walk from the convenience store to the hospital. I needed to ask the receptionist for the room number, again. It was a different worker this time, their shifts probably changing while I was at school. Saeran was in a different wing of the building than V. They needed different kinds of medical attention, so it wasn’t a surprise, but it looked like they were as far away from each other as possible.

As I got closer to the room, the warmer a crest on my back became. Jumin’s had ceased heating up like fire since he found out at least part of the truth, so I could focus a bit easier on the others. But that was strange… Seven wasn’t here? Why wouldn’t he want to be with his long lost brother? What happened?

“Oh, please, you don’t want to go into that room. That patient is extremely violent.” A voice suddenly piped up, breaking me out of my thoughts.

Violent?

“That’s all right. If he hurts me, I won’t hold it against the hospital.” I said calmly, hoping to convey an easy smile.

Whether they were your soul mate or not, a human was a human – if they wanted to hurt you badly enough, they will. If Saeran wished to show his anger towards me, I would accept it.

I deserved his anger.

This would be the last time we meet. I will accept anything he threw at me so he can finish this chapter of his life with no regrets and start healing.

“Are you a relative?”

I hesitated. “Hmm… A friend? Don’t worry, it will only be for a minute.”

The worker hesitated as well. Like they truly believed that the second I walked in there, something terrible would happen to me. “…Scream if you need any help. Or throw something at the door.”

“Sure.” I replied, showing them a smile with my eyes.

Just what in the world happened to get a reaction like that?

I knocked on his door. Through the thin viewing window, I saw him lying on his side, facing towards the window with his back to the door. Was he asleep? I opened the door softly, creeping inside. I took off my anti-dust mask and slowly walked towards him.

That’s too bad. I at least wanted to say goodbye. Holding in a sigh of disappointment, I, as quietly as possible, took out the ice cream from the plastic convenient store bag I held. Maybe I should ask for a cup of ice and hope it would keep the ice cream from melting too badly.

…!

Ow~!

I bit my tongue so I didn’t make any noise to startle the workers outside. Quicker than my eyes could see, Saeran turned around and grabbed my wrist tightly.

“You’re awake.” I said lightly, ignoring the pain. I needed to accept his antagonism. To make up for what I did to him. And I was selfish. I knew that. To feel like I paid my debts to him, I needed his ire.

Saeran freed my wrist. “What are you doing here? Leave me alone.”

“A little birdie told me you like ice cream. I got some for you.” I informed, shaking my hand slightly to get him to look.

“I don’t need your charity.”

“Not charity. A personal gift. Hospitals aren’t very fun, but something sweet always cheers me up.”

“Don’t think I’m like you…”

He looked so disgruntled at the mere thought that I had to laugh. “Of course not. Here, indulge in my presence for just a little while.” I held out the ice cream to him, waiting patiently. It wouldn’t hurt just to sit with him for a while, right?

…Maybe it’d hurt in the long run, but for right now, my heart wanted to stay with him. Just a little longer.

The one I picked out of the bag first was the cone ice cream, so Saeran ended up with that one. I didn’t want the Melona Bar to melt, so I suppose I should eat it. I put the bag and the wrapper in the garbage before taking a seat, making sure to stay a suitable distance away from him. He seemed on edge with me here.

For one last time, I wanted to be near him. That was all. We didn’t need to talk. I took out my phone and laid it on the bedside table between us. I was in the midst of writing lyrics for a special project coming up later in the year.

I worked for only a few seconds when I felt his eyes on me. I looked up, watching him stare. “You want to try?” I asked, tilting the melon ice cream bar towards him. After a moment’s hesitation, he nodded. I reached over the nightstand, holding it out for him. Saeran took the biggest bite I had ever seen. He should be careful. “If you eat that much at once, you’ll get brain freeze. And just because it melts, doesn’t mean you can’t choke on it.”

“Hmph.” He harrumphed, turning his head away so he didn’t show me how much he was struggling to eat the bite.

Saeran was cutely stubborn. I bit my lip, valiantly trying to hide my giggle. And so he wouldn’t be embarrassed, I looked back down at my phone.

It was silent after that. It was comfortable, unlike our first two meetings.

Perhaps it was because I let my guard down that his sudden request took me by surprise. “Hey. Tell me something.”

“Hm? What is it?”

“…What… Why do soul mates exist?”

I tilted my head in confusion. Has no one ever told him? That… somehow made me sad. “Your soul mate is the soul that fell in love with and made a promise to your soul, and vice versa. A soul you met in heaven. It’s someone you couldn’t live without. Their support is what you need to push through the next day, even if you didn’t know you needed it. At least, that’s what romantics say.”

“…And what do you say?”

“Hmm…” I hummed in thought. My views on the matter have changed recently. I was no longer a romantic, nor was I really a fatalist. Fate let us meet, but circumstances pushed us apart. I ended up on a path that would only destroy them. “It’s not as though the relationship has to be romantic, but… I suppose now I believe that loving someone also means letting them go if you’re hurting them. Humans are variable. Adaptable. We do what we can to survive the environment we were put in, and sometimes that leaves soul mates on paths that go in different directions. Paths that clash so badly that they bring out the worse in each other instead of the best.”

I smiled at him, hoping to convey that at least he would never be alone. I would make sure of it, if only in our dreamscape. “But you don’t have to worry. Even if you let go of each other, they’ll always, at least, try to save you from the water.” I looked at the time on my phone. “Oh, visiting hours are almost over. And Seo-Yeon is going to get mad at me if I miss dinner again.” I stood up from my seat. “Recover well. Goodbye, Saeran.”

One last time.

I stared at his face, memorizing his features.

This was goodbye.

I would let him go now, so that he had a chance to live favorably.

I put on my anti-dust mask again and walked towards the door. If I looked at him again, I knew I would waver. I couldn’t let that happen. He needed to be happy with them.

“Wait…”

I stopped. Shocked by the soft command. I looked over my shoulder, meeting his greenish-blue eyes. “Saeran?”

“…” He paused, as though debating with himself. “…Bring me ice cream again.”

“Oh… Sure…” I replied slowly. Why… Why would he want me here?

Why couldn’t I say ‘no’ to him?

He turned away from me. I… didn’t understand him. I hurt him. I destroyed his entire world – everything he ever knew. Didn’t he see that? I was terrible for him. However, it didn’t look like he wanted anything to do with me anymore tonight, so I left quietly.

I suppose one more meeting wouldn’t be all that bad.

And…

…I couldn’t deny the warmth that spread through my heart.

Perhaps just once more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Updates are slow? I don't answer comments in a timely matter?  
> It's because I'm playing the new Pokemon game ^^;;;;;
> 
> To those who celebrate this holiday, Happy Thanksgiving!  
> I give thanks to all of the people who have given this story a chance; whether you continue reading or have stopped, or whether you have left a comment/kudos or not, I appreciate all of you! I especially thank those who have actually made it this far~ it has been quite the journey, hasn't it? Lol, what monster of a story did I create?  
> For the other reason for this holiday: I hope you had a good harvest! May the next year be plentiful~
> 
> Anyways,  
> Thank you for all of your support! <3


	35. Mi-Yeon Of Past Pain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day Seventeen
> 
> "If it’s your biggest dream, I don’t mind helping you. You can use me to achieve it.”

Seo-Yeon took a deep, settling breath. She was on the set of a television show, right now. Everyone took a ten-minute break, and now she needed to focus. The show was kind of similar to a talk show. There were many guests that were invited to film in a single session that was divided into two TV episodes. The concept of the show was to have a topic and have all of the guests tell a personal story or experience. The hosts would then ask questions or did whatever they did to make it entertaining.

This session’s topic was: ‘someone you were sorry to.’

Stories could be sad, funny, heartwarming, anything that the guests were willing to share. There weren’t too many rules either. The first guest that shared their story was sorry to their parents for all of the trouble they caused them during their rebellious childhood, whereas another guest shared that they were sorry to their roommate for using their mini Bluetooth speaker, breaking it, and then replacing it before the roommate noticed. Well… it wasn’t much of a secret now, but that’s what made it entertaining.

“Next person to share a part of their soul with us~” One of the hosts drawled out dramatically. “YeonYeon’s Seo-Yeon! Have you eaten miso soup today? Yes? You must be a MiSeo Foodie!”

“What do you have for us today?” The other host asked, playfully hitting his co-worker for the _tasteful_ joke.

Seo-Yeon waved hello to the camera with a good-humored smile on her lips. They all were given a small white board to write a self-given title to their stories. Seo-Yeon discretely took another calming breath as she turned hers around to face the cameras and hosts.

“Ehhh?!?!” The hosts let out a shocked gasp simultaneously when they read her title. Even the other guests stared at her in disbelief.

_My Duet Partner Is My Enemy_

“Mi-Yeon?!” The first host asked. “You two are pictured doing everything together.”

“I heard you two were best of friends. Is that wrong?” The other host added.

“We’re best friends now. I don’t think I could live without this girl in my life.” Seo-Yeon laughed, shaking her hand as if to dispel any strange rumors. “But it’s no secret that Mi-Yeon and I are as different as night and day. ‘Fire and ice.’ I entered our trainee program before she did, so I was her senior in both social rank and age. It was natural to see the younger trainees as someone you should take under your wing or make sure they adjusted well.”

The guest that was also a singer nodded in understanding.

“Did you two not get along?” A host asked.

“Mmm,” Seo-Yeon hummed in thought. “It wasn’t as though we didn’t get along straight off the bat. The longer we were in the program, the more I noticed that Mi-Yeon didn’t _exactly_ reach out to talk to anyone. A lot of people went up to her, though. If someone asked her for a favor, she would do it without any complaints. Or if someone needed to get something off of their chest, Mi-Yeon would be the person they went to.”

“What kind of favors did she usually do?” The host urged.

“She would manage the music in the dance studio, or play the piano for someone to practice to. Sing. Any random chores the senior trainees had the juniors do. I was really curious of this girl, so I just watched her for a while.”

“You were a stalker. I see, I see.” The other host joked.

“No!” Seo-Yeon cried out with a laugh. “I was just watching to make sure her kindness wasn’t being taken advantage of. She was quiet, but not in the standoffish kind of way. She wasn’t intimidating so I think the rest of us felt… safe to freely approach her. Mi-Yeon’s voice is nice, too, so it was comfortable around her. I’m sure everyone has heard this, in person Mi-Yeon’s presence or aura is the most calming feeling anyone could feel from another person. Like how you meet someone who is energetic and you suddenly have energy; Mi-Yeon just makes you feel at ease.

“I had to go up and talk to her first, but I finally understood what the others were talking about. I think everyone at the time was thinking that this girl isn’t here to take advantage of fame. This girl doesn’t seem like she could hurt a fly and became kind of like a confidant to everyone. She listened to any woes or worries we had and didn’t tell a soul afterwards.”

“An introvert that can still freely talk to and is comfortable around others.” One of the hosts nodded sagely. “I’ve never met her, but I’ve heard that she’s like that.”

“Exactly. I’m much more extroverted, so I started asking if she wanted to come hang out. I’m a good friend to most of the trainees, especially to the girls of Sunbeam. I was originally set to debut with them as a twelve member group, so we were close and mostly trained together.”

“Really?”

“Really. I asked her to come with us to here or there, or come practice with us. I thought Mi-Yeon and I were getting closer.”

“But you weren’t?”

“…I think that I pressed all the wrong buttons.”

 

_“Mi-Yeon~ Come hang out with us tonight!” Seo-Yeon sang, hugging the aforementioned girl and twirling around. “We’re going to go to a karaoke bar all night.”_

_“I’m sorry, I think I’ll have to pass…” Mi-Yeon said slowly, stepping out of the embrace. “I’m a little tired, so I’m going home. My parents are going to be there for dinner, tonight. It’ll be more fun with just you girls, anyways.”_

_“No way~” Seo-Yeon pouted. “You’re lots of fun, even if you don’t talk much. Come on, you never invite us anywhere, so this is the only time we see you outside of training. Meet us in the lobby, okay?”_

_“I… really don’t want to.” Mi-Yeon replied softly._

_“Yes you do~! You’re just tired. The moment you step into the karaoke room, you’ll feel energized, don’t worry.”_

_“Just go with your friends...”_

_“You are my friend! Don’t be so shy~! You’re training to be a singer; you need to be more active than that, silly. You’re finished today, right? I’ll go get your stuff with you.”_

_Seo-Yeon grabbed the girl’s hand and started dragging her to the section of lockers where they put their stuff. Seo-Yeon gasped softly in surprise as Mi-Yeon tugged her hand away forcibly. A show of strength Seo-Yeon wasn’t used to._

_“Don’t act like you know me.” Mi-Yeon said in almost a poisonous whisper. “Don’t act like you’re my best friend! That needs to be a mutual relationship, and we’re hardly anything close. ‘Need to be more active than that?’ Don’t make me laugh. You think every celebrity needs to be the world’s best friend? We’re just people with flaws. I’ll tell you a few things about yourself. You’re overbearing. You’re loud. You don’t listen to anyone’s opinion other than your own. You think you’re protecting me by integrating me into your social circle, but all you’re doing is constantly talking my ear off. You force me to hang out everyday. You drag me into your training sessions. I don’t usually mind people constantly talking to me or asking things of me, but I think I just found an exception in you!”_

_“Hey! I was just giving you friends! You don’t talk to anyone! People have to come to you first! You can’t live life like that! People don’t go through life without a single friend!”_

_“Maybe I like to be alone, have you ever thought of that?” Mi-Yeon asked, her voice rising uncharacteristically. “Maybe being alone suits me just fine! It’s not like I lack social graces. I don’t need you doing anything for me, oh great heroine of a fairy tale. I can manage my life fine on my own. You should learn that it’s not all rainbows and butterflies before going out there into the world of fame.”_

_“And what’s wrong with being positive?” Seo-Yeon questioned, her eyes narrowing._

_“When your positivity grates against someone else’s nerves.”_

_“You can’t go through life alone!” Seo-Yeon nearly yelled. The once timid girl suddenly got very close._

_“Am I alone, or are you? You have so many friends, but didn’t anyone ever tell you that it’s quality over quantity?” Mi-Yeon countered before stepping to the side and walking away._

“That’s not how I picture Mi-Yeon acting…” One of the hosts said slowly, looking at the other one for confirmation.

“Everyone has a different side in different situations. This was just one side to Mi-Yeon.” Seo-Yeon replied. “One that had four walls, a floor, and a ceiling covering her heart.”

Mi-Yeon didn’t show that side of her often anymore, they have both mellowed out since their younger days. And Mi-Yeon was more open to trusting people than before. Mi-Yeon, now, could interact with her friends like they were the closest people on the planet, but whether Mi-Yeon trusted them like a real best friend was up in the air.

Seo-Yeon knew that if Mi-Yeon ever felt like she had to close off her heart completely to protect herself or people she cared about, Mi-Yeon would attack with hurtful and scarring words. Seo-Yeon just hoped it never came to that ever again.

“So you feel sorry to Mi-Yeon because of that fight?” One of the hosts asked.

“Well, yes, but it’s what happened afterwards that I’m really sorry for.” Seo-Yeon admitted and then laughed self-mockingly. “Even though she’s younger than me, she was always the more mature one. After only just a day of avoiding each other, she came and apologized saying that she shouldn’t have antagonized me. She didn’t know me either, so it was wrong of her to say those things. That she appreciates the effort I put in to becoming her friend. I apologized too; I really was too brash. However, things were still awkward between us for a long time afterwards. We weren’t close, just acquaintances working under the same label, since I was put with Sunbeam and she wasn’t.”

“Sometimes relationships don’t mend the way you want them to.”

“Right. And everyone knows how companies work. The lineup before debuting a group gets switched around a lot, trying to get the best image, best voices, and best dancers that work together. Etcetera. I thought that my position was set in stone. I was on the list since the beginning; the company was even going to start preparing my debut teasers.”

“And then…?”

“My voice was too similar to one of the other girls. My looks were similar to another girl. We knew it at the time, but we thought the company figured it was all right and we still sounded well together.” Seo-Yeon explained.

“But they took you off the roster.”

“Exactly. The group would instead debut as the 11 members they have today, an odd number instead of an even one so their visuals could be symmetrical with a center. They didn’t need me there.”

“You must have felt panicked.”

“What was I going to do now? After all of this training, is it for nothing? Do I have to quit? Is there anything left for me? Those were the kinds of thoughts I had back then. When it happened, the higher ups and teachers called me into their conference room to discuss my future plans.”

“That must have been scary. I hate being called into the boss’s office.” One host exclaimed.

“Which happens so often. You must live in fear.” The other host joked. “So, Seo-Yeon, did you get scolded?”

“I got a warning.” Seo-Yeon admitted. “Mi-Yeon was called in, too.”

“Was it about your fight?”

“I’m sure some of the teachers noticed that we were avoiding each other, but nothing escalated from it so they left it alone. Mi-Yeon wasn’t the type of person to tattle, either. I was sure our fight wasn’t even a concern for the higher ups. Instead, they told me that Mi-Yeon, who was only a trainee for ten months at the time, was going to debut solo in just over a couple months time. And she has been working on her own songs.”

“That’s quick. How long were you a trainee for at that point?”

“Just under two years. Learning that about her made me realize that I really did know nothing about her. She had the voice, the visuals, the skill, and the talent to debut _solo_. Mi-Yeon must have worked extremely hard and I never even knew it. I didn’t know why they were telling me any of this, but they told me to sing the song she wrote with her so they could test something.”

“What were they testing? Compatibility?”

“I think so. They said my voice resonated well with hers, it was pleasing to the ear, but my skill and control wasn’t good enough. I couldn’t fully sing the notes Mi-Yeon wrote down or the techniques she used. Mi-Yeon’s level was much, much higher than mine at the time. So the teachers said if I could prove to them within the month that I can train hard enough to be almost as good as Mi-Yeon, they would let us debut as a duet. If I couldn’t, Mi-Yeon would debut solo and I could stay as a trainee until the next opportunity arose for me or let me go completely.”

“You’re YeonYeon now, so that means you passed, right?”

“I wouldn’t have been able to if Mi-Yeon didn’t help me. When they gave us the option to debut as a duet, I honestly thought it might be better not to. Mi-Yeon and I weren’t that close, things were awkward, and I felt like I was just taking something that she worked so hard for away from her.”

 

_“Mi-Yeon, wait!” Seo-Yeon called out, running to catch up with the girl who was already walking down the hallway._

_“Something you want to ask about the song?”_

_“Uh… no, that’s not it… Just… I don’t want you to think I’m taking away your opportunity to go solo. That’s a huge deal! If you don’t want me to try, I’ll go tell them right away that I’ll stay as a trainee.”_

_Mi-Yeon tilted her head curiously, her face showing neither discontent nor pleasure. “If you want to try for it, then work hard. If you would rather be in a bigger group like Sunbeam, then wait.”_

_“That’s not what I’m asking.” Seo-Yeon sighed in exasperation. “What do_ you _want?”_

_Mi-Yeon turned to face the older and slightly taller girl fully, her facial expression remaining neutral but inquisitive. Seo-Yeon fidgeted nervously at the girl’s silence._

_“Is being a singer your dream, Seo-Yeon?”_

_“Huh? Oh, well… Yes, it is my dream. I love to sing, I want to walk onto a stage and see all the smiles I was able to put on people’s faces from my singing. I want to be able to sing songs that enlist strong emotions to my audience. My brothers always say I’m too loud and a career like this would suit me.”_

_Mi-Yeon nodded softly, “I didn’t come here with any preference to whether I sang solo or in a group. If it’s your biggest dream, I don’t mind helping you. You can use me to achieve it.”_

_Seo-Yeon nodded, not knowing what else to say. Mi-Yeon turned to leave, but before the younger girl disappeared around the corner, Seo-Yeon called out. “Is it your dream? To be a singer?”_

_“…My dream.” Seo-Yeon heard Mi-Yeon sigh. “I don’t know what my dream is.” Mi-Yeon turned her head to look Seo-Yeon directly in the eyes. “I just know that I want to do this right now. Right here, in this moment. You don’t have to worry; I’ll put all of my effort into this path I chose for myself and see it through until the end. You shouldn’t just give up, either, since you know it’s your end goal. Have a good night, Seo-Yeon.”_

“Mi-Yeon said some pretty cool things.” The host said in awe. “Does Mi-Yeon have a dream now?”

Seo-Yeon smiled a little bitterly. She… didn’t want to use the girl like that… “She does. Being a singer is only fulfilling half of it, so I’m going to keep supporting her until she sees her end goal, too.”

“What happened after that that makes you feel apologetic to Mi-Yeon?”

“After that… It was long, long hours of training by myself. There was no more fooling around. This was it. The more I secluded myself into my training, the harder it became. Things that once came to me naturally suddenly started to work less and less. I learned the new, but forgot the old. I tried to relearn the old, and had a difficult time with the new.”

“It was a lot of stress, I imagine.”

“Just the regular trainee schedule was already stressful enough. But now I had less than a month to measure up to a person who was surrounded by music her whole life. Someone with such beautiful natural talent and who also worked just as hard as the rest of us. It seemed impossible to catch up.”

 

_Seo-Yeon took a deep breath, opening her mouth and tried to sing a certain note. Then she tried to apply a vocal technique to her voice. She failed. She tried again before closing her mouth and nearly screaming._

_She looked up in surprise when she heard an exasperated sigh from the door._

_“You’re never going to make progress like that.” Mi-Yeon said, walking into the practice room and shutting the door. “Drink this.”_

_Seo-Yeon took the offered travel mug. “What is it?”_

_“Green tea mixed with some lavender. I brought it from home.” Mi-Yeon informed while going to sit at the piano in the room and set sheet music in front of her. “The more wound up you are, the less likely you’ll be able to perform anything. That blend is supposed to help you relax.”_

_“Oh. Thank you.” Seo-Yeon replied softly, cautiously taking a sip of the hot beverage and sitting down. She looked up as Mi-Yeon started to play something, starting and stopping to scribble things on the sheet music. After a while, Seo-Yeon did feel a bit better, especially relaxing to the soothing sounds of the piano even if it was never a complete song._

_It took about half an hour, but Mi-Yeon got up with her finished piece and handed it to the older girl. Seo-Yeon only stared at it in confusion._

_“I’m not here to sabotage you. Just take it.” Mi-Yeon sighed, putting the sheet music on the table next to them._

_“I wasn’t thinking that. I was just wondering why you would give a new song to me?”_

_“It’s not a new song. It’s the song you’ve been trying to sing this whole time. I rewrote the notes since you have a lower vocal range than I do. These should work better and you’ll feel more comfortable with the vocal techniques in this range.”_

_“You didn’t have to do that. You could’ve asked me to help you.”_

_“Yes, I did.” Mi-Yeon countered dryly. “Anyways, you’re calmer now, right? Let’s sing.”_

_And they did. Together. Every time Seo-Yeon made a mistake, Mi-Yeon would sing the part until Seo-Yeon could copy it and learn. The teachers helped with the more technical stuff during their lessons, but Seo-Yeon found that singing with Mi-Yeon made her feel closer to the girl and she improved faster._

“Things went on like that all the way up to the day I was supposed to ‘audition’ for the spot. No matter how long we practiced or how many mistakes I made, I don’t remember Mi-Yeon even complaining once.” Seo-Yeon continued. “It worked out in the end, because here I am as one part of YeonYeon. The reason that I’m so sorry to her is because… this girl, that didn’t really like me to begin with, helped me without asking for a single thing in return. We sometimes stayed so late in the practice room that that the teachers would ask us to leave and go home…”

“What was so bad after that? You debuted as YeonYeon.”

“The oldest member of the group is automatically made to be the leader.” Seo-Yeon said softly, looking at the host but seeing images of the past instead of their faces. “The main spotlight that was meant for her got shifted to me. All of the songs that she wrote lyrics and composed for were almost all scrapped away because they didn’t fit my image. Or some of them were redone but didn’t make it onto the first album. The image the company had for YeonYeon wasn’t the same as the one they had for just Mi-Yeon. We started getting songs written by the company’s songwriters, instead. Even the song we practiced so hard on wasn’t used on our first album. Everything she did thus far was just tossed away…”

The studio stayed silent, feeling the raw emotions coming from the pop singer.

Seo-Yeon continued, her eyes blurring with tears unexpectedly. “By that time, Mi-Yeon was supposed to debut in a few weeks but now, because of the two of us were considered a group and new preparations needed to be done, it was delayed. Sunbeam debuted first. Then the company didn’t think it was wise to debut another female group, so they debuted the boy group, Limit Break. Instead of Mi-Yeon being able to debut at the end of her middle school years, because of me, she ended up debuting at the end of our high school years. I’m both really sorry to Mi-Yeon for making things so difficult for her and extremely thankful.”

“Here, here.” One of the hosts hurried over with a tissue.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t think I would cry.” Seo-Yeon gave a water laugh, dabbing her tears away.

“Have you talked to Mi-Yeon about this?”

“I have. She doesn’t even care in the slightest.” Seo-Yeon giggled. “I believe her exacts words were: ‘entertainment is still a business, and sometimes hard work doesn’t get rewarded. It doesn’t mean you should stop working hard.’ She even told me not to care so much about the past, if she’s not bothered by it, why should I be?”

“Then what are you sorry for?” The host started clapping good-naturedly. “We need to get Mi-Yeon on the show one of these days.”

“Despite the delay, YeonYeon is doing just as well as Sunbeam these days, aren’t you? Who makes more?”

“I don’t know.” Seo-Yeon admitted with a shrug. “I think we’ve both become similarly popular because our images are different. Mi-Yeon and I are supposed to be the two extremes. We’ve pulled off a dark, sexy concept and a pure, innocent concept. Sunbeam is in charge of everything cute and girly.”

“The fiery princess of YeonYeon is sorry to the gentle snow princess. I feel like I stepped into another universe.”

“The friendship everyone is so envious about started with hatred.” The other host continued the joke dramatically, lightening the mood.

“Ahhh, why do I suddenly miss her?” Seo-Yeon chuckled along.

When the recording finally ended, Seo-Yeon got into the company van and leaned her head back.

“Are you okay?” Ye-Jun asked as he started the car.

“Just tired.” Seo-Yeon reassured, closing her eyes.

She really hoped Mi-Yeon was all right. Mi-Yeon came home from her nature hike looking like everything in the world was going upside down. She said that V was accidentally shot by a hunter and had to cut the adventure short to rush to the hospital. And then the next day, it was like nothing happened. Because that was the type of person Mi-Yeon had grown up to be.

 

_“If there’s no one there to comfort you when you’re sad, you might as well take as little time as possible to accept it and move on. It’s easier that way. The world doesn’t stop turning just because something bad happened to one person.”_

 

Digging away at old memories made her reminisce about the first time she found out that Mi-Yeon was mostly alone in that big house of hers. The only person Mi-Yeon could depend on was herself…

 

_Seo-Yeon rang the doorbell, waiting patiently for the door to her new duet partner’s home to open. She rubbed her hands together, blowing a warm breath on them. Time seemed to have flown by and it was already the beginning of December. Seo-Yeon carefully hugged a travel mug to her body. It was Mi-Yeon’s. The girl had let Seo-Yeon drink her tea again. It also provided a good excuse to come see Mi-Yeon. The teachers said that Mi-Yeon called in sick that day._

_“What are you doing here?” Mi-Yeon asked the moment the door opened. Seo-Yeon heard the scratchiness of the younger girl’s voice and winced. Sore throat, huh?_

_“No hello? How cold of you~” Seo-Yeon pouted. “I came to give this back.”_

_“You didn’t have to come all the way here. Just give it to me the next time you see me.” Mi-Yeon replied but took the container._

_“Well… I wanted to see how you were doing. I heard you got sick.” Seo-Yeon confessed._

_Mi-Yeon stepped out of the way, inviting Seo-Yeon inside and out of the cold. “I’m fine, you don’t need to worry about me. You shouldn’t stay here long either, you might catch it, too.”_

_“It’ll be fine. Even trainee singers get to have the holidays free.” Seo-Yeon waved off. She looked around the extravagant home. It wasn’t a mansion or anything, but it was finely decorated and was still plenty bigger than her modest home. “Are your parents not home?”_

_“It’s the holiday season, like you said. They’re off doing what they love.”_

_“Where are they?” Seo-Yeon asked curiously, walking around and inspecting everything._

_“Germany? Japan?” Mi-Yeon shrugged._

_Seo-Yeon paused, looking at the girl carefully. “When did they leave? Are they coming back soon?”_

_“A couple weeks ago, maybe? I don’t really remember. They’ll be back after the new years, probably.”_

_“You’re here all alone until then?”_

_“I’m old enough to take care of myself. A couple maids come by every so often if you’re worried about the cleanliness of this place.”_

_Seo-Yeon hated that Mi-Yeon sounded like it was just another day. She felt her heart thump even more painfully when Mi-Yeon coughed repeatedly. “Where’s your kitchen?”_

_“Why?” Mi-Yeon questioned._

_“I’m going to take care of you.” Seo-Yeon said with determination._

_“You’re so odd. I told you, I’m fine. You shouldn’t stay here longer than you need to.”_

_“Well I don’t like that you’re all alone when you’re sick…”_

_“I’m used to it. It’s getting late, shouldn’t you go home for dinner? Your family will be worried.”_

_Seo-Yeon couldn’t argue that logic. She really hated how clever Mi-Yeon was sometimes. Reluctantly, Seo-Yeon left, but that didn’t mean she gave up._

_The next day, after training was over, Seo-Yeon went back to Mi-Yeon’s house._

_“Stop coming here. You’re really going to get sick and then what’ll you do?” Mi-Yeon huffed._

_“No way. I’m going to take care of you for real. I asked my mom to make some soup for you. And she gave me advice on how to take care of an ailing patient.”_

_“…We’re not at a hospital. It’s just a cold.”_

_“Yeah, yeah.” Seo-Yeon ignored the girl, going into the kitchen. “I’m going to heat this up. You go rest.”_

_“So persistent.” Mi-Yeon sighed, obediently sitting on the living room couch._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I made myself a discord account for a non-otome game I'm playing. Are there any Mystic Messenger servers that are willing to let me join? ^^


	36. We Are One - We Are Seven, Part One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day Eighteen ~ Day Twenty-One
> 
> "Where has everyone been? The chat room has been empty for days."

**Day Eighteen**

Zen huffed in frustration. He heavily leaned against the wall, one arm defensively crossed against his chest while his other hand held his phone. No one was in the chat room. Again. He even resorted to calling the trust fund kid because no one, not even Jaehee, was willing to tell him the whole truth. And as much as he adored Mi-Yeon, she was the most frustrating.

Just thinking back to their phone conversation yesterday gave him a headache.

 

_“Mi-Yeon, are you okay?”_

_“Yeah, why?”_

_“What do you mean why? You haven’t been in the chat room since you and V did gods know what.”_

_“…Don’t worry, it wasn’t you who I lied to.”_

_“That’s not the point. I don’t care about that. What happened that day?”_

_“It’s… not really my secret to tell.”_

_“Then why did you get involved at all?”_

_“I… You’re angry.”_

_Zen took a deep breath. “I’m worried about you, babe. Please, just tell me_ something. _”_

_“You’re better off asking someone else. I’m of no use to you.”_

_“And what does that mean?”_

_“You can hate me, Zen. You’re the type of person who thinks that you can’t despise your soul mates_ because _they’re your soul mates. You and Jumin don’t always get along, but you don’t hate him.”_

_“Babe… I don’t understand a single thing you’re saying. Say it simpler so even someone like me can understand.”_

_“Hate me. Look after the others well.”_

_“Mi-Yeon, that sounds like-“_

_“I have a meeting to attend. Goodbye, Zen.”_

Even after having a whole night to think things over, he still couldn’t understand her. He knew that he and the others didn’t know Mi-Yeon as well as they’d probably hoped, but it has only been less than a month since they met in the chat room. They gained a unique trust through life threatening ordeals. And Zen trusted her still – despite the lie that burned away a piece of their security.

She had to have had a good reason.

He would do anything for her, except that. He could never hate her.

“Scene 34!” The director yelled, calling all actors and actresses in the scene to the shooting area.

Zen quickly left his phone on the vanity that was assigned to him and went to wait until his character needed to enter the scene. His first chance to act on the small screen, no matter how tiny the role, was thanks to his beautiful soul mate. He was a good judge of character. Mi-Yeon didn’t have a bad heart. Her heart was pure, if a bit innocent – a bit fragile.

“Take one. Action!”

No matter what atrocious things she did, or what kind of monster she became, he believed in her. Because he trusted her to follow her heart.

 

**Day Nineteen**

“We have recovered everything at the building, sir.”

“Good work. Start to analyze it and report it exactly. Send the files to Assistant Kang when you are finished.” Jumin instructed.

“Of course.” The security personnel bowed his head politely and left the office.

Once the door was closed, Jumin let out a breath. He quickly composed himself as someone knocked on it.

“Mr. Han?”

“Assistant Kang, come in.”

“These,” Jaehee said, putting down one stack of papers on his desk. “Are files you need to review for regular C&R undertakings.” She put another stack down. “These are from your lawyers regarding Glam and Sarah Choi.” One more stack. “And these are the lists of the evidence taken from Mint Eye and all of the names of those who were involved before they start digging deeper.”

“Thank you.” He replied tiredly.

Jaehee was stunned for a moment. “Are Mi-Yeon and V fit for a testimony about what happened that day? Or about the cult in general?” She paused, her heart lurching painfully. “Are… they all right?”

“V is in stable condition at the hospital. On the day of, I had my security team bring Mi-Yeon to my personal doctor in secret after her visit to Luciel. Her body is healthy and she passed a psychological examination.”

Jaehee noticed a look most people would probably miss. “Do you believe that?”

“It seems that she is just as stubborn as V.” Jumin sighed. “And a better actress than even Zen.”

“We truly don’t know the real her, is what you’re saying.”

“Precisely. We, even as soul mates, are only part of her audience. An audience that will only see the many façades she is comfortable using.” Jumin rested his chin on top of his linked hands. “Perhaps she has even forgotten her own face.”

“Can you really forget your own personality?” Jaehee asked softly. The mere idea was unfathomable to her.

“I suspect that she has danced to the tune that will garner the highest likeability and acceptance a majority of her life.”

“The tune?”

“Have you noticed?” Jumin asked with a faraway look. “Even I only caught on just recently. Mi-Yeon is extremely sensitive to her environment and the people in it. With how calm she is and how unthreatening her presence seems, people naturally become at ease. She analyzes a person’s personality with their defenses dropped and acts according to their preferences. We are no exception.

“A little shy and feminine with Zen. Outgoing with Saeyoung. Encouraging with no strings attached with Yoosung. Talk with her for just a couple minutes and she’ll accurately guess on subjects you are interested in talking about and keep a steady, amiable conversation. You as well, Jaehee. She is the perfect female friend you were looking for, no? One you can tell your worries to and entertain your hobbies with.” He listed nonchalantly.

Jaehee thought over their encounters with the idol singer over the past couple of weeks. Mi-Yeon catered to them. It was frightening how natural it seemed. “When did you start to notice?”

“Her façade faltered when her real personality started screaming and begging to come out.” Jumin leaned back in his seat for a moment and smiled a little cruelly. “The moment she lied.”

“So what exactly does that make her? I can’t imagine… that she could be such a twisted person.” Jaehee bit her tongue from saying anything more. She hated to admit it, but her thoughts wandered to Rika and what the first party coordinator became.

Jumin’s deep chuckle brought her back to reality. “Twisted? No, not at all. Standing next to her, it is I that is twisted.” He crossed his arms in a relaxed manner and turned to stare out into the sky through the large window. “She keeps many faces to protect her delicate heart – a heart that is just a nudge away from shattering. When that heart has no more hopes of reconstructing… well, she lied to protect us from the truth V was hiding, but more importantly, she lied to protect us from herself.”

 

**Day Twenty**

**Yoosung:** Where has everyone been?

**Yoosung:** The chat room has been empty for days. Except Zen…

**Yoosung:** ｢(ﾟﾍﾟ)

**Yoosung:** What happened?!

**Yoosung:** No one answers me directly when I call…

**Yoosung:** Don’t I deserve to know?!

**Yoosung:** ‧º·(˚ ˃̣̣̥⌓˂̣̣̥ )‧º·˚

**Yoosung:** Guys… T_T

**Yoosung:** Well… At least someone learned what Mi-Yeon lied about… The fire is gone…

**Yoosung:** I wonder what it was about…

**Yoosung:** …

**Yoosung:** …I miss you guys.

_Jumin Han has entered the chatroom_

**Yoosung:** (〇o〇；)

**Yoosung:** Jumin!

**Jumin Han:** Good, you’re here.

**Jumin Han:** I have something to tell you.

**Yoosung:** Are you finally going to tell me what has been happening the past few days?!

**Jumin Han:** Perhaps in time.

**Jumin Han:** For now, I have other news for you.

**Yoosung:** In time?

**Yoosung:** Then what do you need to tell me?

**Jumin Han:** Rika has been cleared to leave the hospital.

**Jumin Han:** As her family member, would you like me to hire a nurse for you?

**Jumin Han:** Despite being released, I would not trust her to take care of herself.

.

.

.

.

**Jumin Han:** Yoosung?

**Yoosung:** …You…

**Yoosung:** …You just typed Rika…

**Jumin Han:** That is correct.

**Jumin Han:** Assistant Kang and I have decided to send her back to her apartment.

**Jumin Han:** Luciel has already removed the bomb, so there are no risks anymore.

**Yoosung:** Why… How?...

**Yoosung:** Where is the apartment?!

**Yoosung:** I’ll go straight there!

**Yoosung:** I’ll take care of her!

**Jumin Han:** Very well.

**Jumin Han:** If you wish to take care of her, I’ll arrange for you to talk to her therapist for proper protocol.

**Jumin Han:** I’ll send a car for you.

**Day Twenty-One**

It has been six days since he’s stayed at this place called a hospital. No one stops him, no matter how angry he gets. They probably didn’t know what to do with him. Can a place like this exist? It’s so comfortable, but so awkward at the same time. The sky outside the window always had the same routine. The sun would dye the sky with hot flames of light, eventually equally distributing the warm rays to the Earth, making the sky cool to a blue, and then the heat would leave, trailing blood red rays in its wake. Repeat.

He thought about a lot of things since being confined to this room. He thought of the time when Rika and V convinced his mother to let him attend church school… Just to get him away from the house for a while. The same school Saeyoung attended on and off. Saeyoung… was gone by then. It felt as if half of him was torn away. It hurt so badly.

Still… In the end… He achieved his dream. He grew to adulthood and got to watch the clouds as long as he wanted.

…How tattered was his mind? How much did fear take up place in his heart? Everyone he met in his life abused him, hated him, and betrayed him. He couldn’t trust anyone anymore. That was the only lesson he needed to remember. That way, he won’t get hurt.

Maybe… Maybe he should just end everything. If he disappeared, he won’t have to feel this pain. Was there a reason he was alive? Did… life mean anything to him now? Life had only given him pain. Life had only given him torment. He didn’t want to get close to anyone. There was nothing he could do by living…

Saeran heard a knock on his door. He shifted his eyes to look, ready to fight for his solitude. For his safety. He was stunned into silence at what he saw.

“Does it look that bad?” His guest asked sheepishly. “My stylist called me in to try out the colors. So, now my hair has been chalked to all hell and back.” She stuck out her tongue playfully. “I don’t think there’s a single strand that still has my usual color.”

“You look terrible.” Saeran huffed, looking away.

…Mi-Yeon didn’t look that bad. The array of colors dying her hair in splotches was rather unique and magic like. It went well with the colored contacts she had in. Not that he would ever say that aloud.

“I guess this concept is a no go.” Mi-Yeon laughed lightly, walking towards him.

“Why are you here?”

“You told me to bring you ice cream.” She said casually, digging into the plastic bag she was carrying. She took out a small carton of ice cream and a plastic spoon. “Here, as promised.”

“…This is the third time… why do you keep coming back? I never asked you to promise anything to me. I don’t trust you.”

“You have free will. You don’t have to trust me. Just like I’m doing this of my own free will.” Mi-Yeon replied, sitting down in her customary chair with the bedside table between them. “Are you not getting along with Seven? Or any of the others?”

“None of your business.” He scowled, not touching the cold treat but eyeing it. “It’s not like you’re getting along with them either.”

“You’re right.” She smiled self deprecatingly. “I told you I wouldn’t abandon you once. So until I know you’re safely with the others, I’ll keep bothering you.”

“You make terrible excuses.” He scoffed. Why was he letting her stay here? Just because she kept a couple promises to him? The moment he trusted someone again was the moment he could never turn back. “If that’s the case, save me the trouble of having to pretend to like you and just leave.”

Mi-Yeon let out a soft, sad sigh. “Maybe you’re right. I’m a terrible soul mate for you anyways.”

He raised an eyebrow questioningly, finally turning to stare at her. “How do you know that?” Not that he cared whether she was ‘good’ or bad for him, but how did she know such a definitive answer?

Saeran watched her strangely. Ah, this was it. This was why. She was crazy.

Mi-Yeon laughed and laughed, her voice escalating a little louder as each second passed by.

“I-I’m s-s-sorry,” She giggled, taking a breath to calm down. “Nothing is funny, it’s just… this whole thing is just so ridiculous. The two of us created extremely dangerous situations for each other, how can we not be bad together? And you said it yourself, if you end me, your pain will go away.

“But I at least want to make sure you’re with the others before I go. I want you to try, if only just once. More than anything.” Mi-Yeon continued gently.

“Try?”

“Try healing with our soul mates. Try living the life you’ve always wanted. They’ll be there for you, no matter what.”

“…And why can’t they do that for you?” He asked slowly.

“I did just betray their trust.” She replied wistfully. But then she smiled. She smiled like she accepted a fate that was doomed from the start and was making the most out of what she could. “Besides, if they try to fix me, they can’t solely focus on healing you.”

Saeran stayed silent for a moment, staring at her. “If you make them focus on me, they’re going to forget you. That’s just the kind of terrible people they are.”

“They’re not so bad. And I want to do this for all of you.” Mi-Yeon said with conviction. “I’m used to being alone, anyways. Too broken to be fixed. Love and affection… no longer seem to induce anything positive in me. Rather… it makes me doubt that it’s really there in the first place.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When I need time to move forward so medicine/healing can be realistic ^^;;


	37. We Are One - We Are Seven, Part Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day Twenty-Two ~ Day Twenty-Four
> 
> “Saeran just assaulted his therapist and has been refusing all treatment.”

**Day Twenty-Two**

“Rika, you should at least eat.” Yoosung encouraged. His adopted cousin only smiled at him, fiddling with a small digital camera the therapist suggested buying. “It’s good that you’re taking pictures, but you’ve been on it for four hours now.”

She continued to smile at him serenely. “…”

“Don’t just smile. You have to take care of yourself.” He sighed. Yoosung then perked up as he heard the doorbell. “Oh, wait. Who is it?” He opened the door. “Huh? What are you doing here? How do you know where this place is?”

“I asked Jaehee. No one else seems to want to answer my calls.”

“I’m… getting that feeling, too… Anyways, come in. Rika, Zen’s here.” Yoosung announced happily, hoping to get any kind of reaction out of her.

“Rika~ You seem to be doing well.” Zen greeted kindly.

 She smiled.

“What about your work?” Yoosung asked after a short silence.

“I want to take a break today.” Zen put a hand to his ever-growing headache. “Yoosung, aren’t you ditching school to be here?”

“I’m taking a leave of absence. No one can look over Rika other than me.”

“Seriously? Just leave everything to Jumin. He said that he’d hire a nurse.” The musical actor gave a sympathetic smile.

“I don’t want to leave her to a complete stranger. I know that she’ll get better if I take care of her… The doctor said that too when he came on a house call.”

“Well… I guess no one’s as devoted as you are.” Zen sighed. “The doctor didn’t say anything else…?”

“He said that she might be refusing to speak due to trauma from an extreme shock. I guess her mind… can’t handle what she went through.”

Zen pulled Yoosung away towards the kitchen and whispered, “And… what exactly did she go through? Do you know?”

The blonde boy shook his head. “Maybe… something happened to V? I… haven’t heard anything from him or about him…”

“The others are all keeping mum about the whole thing.” Zen huffed. “I don’t understand a thing that has been going on. Where the heck was Rika this whole time?” He turned to look at the aforementioned woman sitting on the couch.

“But… Maybe we shouldn’t complain. She seems happy to me right now. Although she can’t come clean about what happened… She really looks happy like a child when she looks at the sun and smiles.”

“…To be honest, I think so, too. The Rika I knew before was an awesome person, but she always seemed to be chased by something. She seems more peaceful than ever; it’s ironic... We’re just scraping by, but she couldn’t be more at ease.” Zen chuckled dryly.

“Yes… After all that’s happened, we have to embrace Rika and help her. She doesn’t have to… remember and accept everything and deal with all that trouble.” Yoosung sighed. “Rika… I hope you’re happy now.”

           

**Day Twenty-Three**

“Thank you, Jaehee. For Saeran’s hospital issues… and making sure that word doesn’t get out about this.” Saeyoung acknowledged.

“…To be frank with you, it was quite difficult to take on the burden of all of this truth.” Jaehee sighed, leading the man down the halls of C&R. “What Rika was doing… and the story behind your birth. I am quite amazed at times how many secrets I know. You didn’t have to tell us, Mr. Han would have concealed Saeran’s identity without any questions.”

Saeyoung looked away for a moment. “It’s because you’re good at what you do, Jaehee. And lying about it… seemed like it would blow up in our faces. You haven’t seen him yet, have you?”

“I have checked in with the hospital staff, but have yet to actually visit his room. I wouldn’t think he’d be inviting to a stranger at this moment. Why do you ask?”

“Ah… I’ll… tell you later. Let’s get this over with first.” He replied slowly. “Why… did Jumin want to see me?”

“I’m not exactly sure, but perhaps it is because I received a report concerning Saeran…”

“What did they say?”

“They say almost all the drugs have left his body… but mentally, he is still in an extremely anxious state. They are starting psychological therapy right away, so we’ll have to wait.” Jaehee informed.

Saeyoung stayed silent for a moment, contemplating. “…Do you think my visit will only hinder his progress?”

“I…” She hesitated. “Cannot comment on that as I do not know exactly what is going on between the two of you.”

“Jaehee.”

“Yes?”

“Are you busy?”

“You know the answer.” Jaehee replied dryly.

“Right.” He snorted in amusement before becoming serious again. “But do you think I could stay here? I won’t get in your way. Lock me in Jumin’s gigantic office if you want to.”

Jaehee paused in her strides. “What is this about?”

“I feel like I’m going to go see Saeran if I stay alone. Please?”

He looked at her with such a pitiful look her heart started aching. “Sae-Luciel…”

“You can call me whatever you want.” He smiled at her, continuing their journey to Jumin’s office. “We’re almost there, right? I can ask Jumin when we’re done.”

“Of course…” Jaehee said with uncertainty.

Soon, the two of them were in front of large, wooden, double doors. The corporate assistant knocked, announcing their arrival.

“You made it.” Jumin greeted, standing up from his expensive looking office chair and walking around his desk.

“You rang?” Saeyoung joked lightly. His two soul mates noticed that the humor never reached his eyes.

“Before I tell you the real reason I called you here, has Mi-Yeon contacted you recently? It seems that she has been keeping all conversations short.” Jumin asked.

The red head looked away guiltily. “That’s… probably my fault.”

“Your fault?” Jaehee questioned.

“I was pretty harsh with her… that day.” The hacker admitted. “She was probably scared and… I never even tried to help her.”

“I see.” Jumin replied, soaking up the information but not really reacting to it.

The silence was broken by Jaehee, “What is it that you called Saeyoung here for, Mr. Han?”

“I got a call from the hospital.” Jumin said bluntly, crossing his arms and leaning against his desk.

“Did something happen?” Saeyoung asked worriedly.

“Saeran just assaulted his therapist and has been refusing all treatment.”

“What? Why did they call you directly instead of me?” Jaehee gasped.

“Probably because the situation is that bad.” The businessman sighed.

“I… I have to go see him.” Saeyoung panicked.

“That is not a good idea. He is extremely unstable, so we should leave it to the experts.”

“I’m sure… that Saeran is in pain. I need to go.”

Before the two corporate employees could stop him, Saeyoung ran out the door. He heard them call his name but he ignored them. As quickly as possible, he rushed to his car in the parking garage of C&R and slammed the door shut. He proceeded to speed down the streets towards the hospital that held his brother than what was lawful.

Saeyoung felt safe after looking at the photo Rika secretly sent him. He thought Saeran was happier without him.

He was a fool.

The second he got into the hospital, he bypassed the front desk and violently pressed the elevator button. Saeyoung was out of breath with anxiety. What could have happened? Why… wasn’t he there for his brother?

The moment Saeyoung opened the door to his brother’s room he was greeted with a scream. “Leave!! Leave right now!!”

A nurse hurriedly stepped up to him, pulling the door half way closed. “Who are you?”

“His brother.” Saeyoung nearly whimpered.

The nurse sighed in response. “I see. He’s been like that for days. We can let him stay at the hospital but we can’t treat him…”

“Exactly what is wrong with him?”

“Get lost! I said no one should come!!” Saeran screeched and grabbing whatever was near him and throwing it at them.

“He has stress related gastritis and a mild mental disorder. His immunity is low so we can’t release him until his body recovers. We can force the medication, but we need approval from a guardian or family member to do that.” The nurse informed in almost a growl.

“…Saeran.” Saeyoung whispered. “Look, I’ll clean up this place. Can I be with my brother for a while?”

“Please come sign the treatment agreement form.” The nurse pleaded.

“…I need some time to think about that. I want to talk to him first.”

He saw the nurse sigh in frustration.

“Well, I don’t know if you’ll be able to talk to him like this… Only that girl can even attempt to keep a half decent, civil conversation with him.”

“Girl?”

“Do you know her?” The nurse asked hopefully. “She comes in on different shifts, so it’s hardly ever the same set of staff. We can’t even agree on the color of her hair or eyes, so maybe it’s not the same person each time.”

“I see…”

Mi-Yeon? Wasn’t she afraid of Saeran?

It wasn’t someone from the remnants of Mint Eye, was it? No, no, that wasn’t possible. He could trust Jumin to take care of that.

…But didn’t that mean Saeran would be pulled into the investigation, too?

“Anyways, good luck.” The nurse exhaled, walking away.

Saeyoung shook his head. This wasn’t the time to think about that. He had to focus on his brother, first and foremost. He turned his eyes to the man who he tried so desperately to protect.

“I told you to get lost… Leave.” Saeran said tiredly.

Saeyoung slowly walked to the bedside. The closer he walked, the clearer the panic in Saeran’s eyes shown despite keeping a disgruntled face. “Brother.”

“It’s disgusting that I have to breath in the same place as you! You piece of trash!” Saeran yelled with a sudden burst of energy. He reached out swiftly, grabbing onto the collar of Saeyoung’s jacket.

“Ugh-!”

“Why can’t you just disappear when I tell you to?!”

Saeyoung looked into his brother’s eyes. “Do whatever you want, Saeran. If that makes you feel better, do it.”

Saeyoung would accept his brother’s anger. This was punishment for trusting _them._ This was relief for the person he cherished more than anything. Saeran could destroy his body and soul entirely.

He… surrendered everything to his one and only brother.

“I’m going to kill you… seriously…” Saeran hissed. “I want to carve out every part of me that looks like you. Do you know that? My hair, my face, my fingers… everything! I want to carve them off! The biggest mistake in my life is being born from the same womb as you. You think I’m going to forgive you if you make sad faces like that? You think that weak boy is gonna come out again and call your name, right? Never… Never ever again. You’re worse than the woman who gave birth to me. Do you know why? You ruined my life… All I want is to be born again.”

Internally, Saeyoung begged Saeran not to say such sad things. He’d do better from now on.

Saeran continued, “When I die, it will all be your fault… I want to die. Looking at you reminds me of how much _I_ look like you. I want to die.”

“…Don’t say that.”

Saeran shoved his twin away roughly. “This worthless life… I don’t want it… You ruined my life. I want to disappear from this world without leaving a trace.”

“Stop…” Saeyoung whimpered, his world crumbling around him. “Stop it! Don’t ever think that… don’t…”

He needed a moment. Saeyoung pivoted on his heels and left the room without another glance. When he closed the door behind him, his heart felt empty. He went behind the wall and leaned his head back.

Just how much has Saeran been hurting all by himself this whole time? Even if Saeyoung begged and apologized to his brother every second for the remainder of his life, he was sure it wasn’t enough. However… they were given a second chance.

Saeran was given a second chance.

Wiping away any excess moisture from his eyes, Saeyoung walked back into the hospital room.

“…I’m back.”

“What?” Saeran inhaled in surprise.

“I’ll watch over you… until you’re healthy and can walk out of this room. I’ll never give up on you this time.”

 

**Day Twenty-Four**

My phone vibrated in my hand as I walked out of my label company’s building. Looking down at it, I saw that Jumin sent me a few text messages.

_From Jumin: V was released from the hospital last night._

_From Jumin: I already scheduled this with your manager. We are having an official RFA meeting._

_From Jumin: No excuses._

I typed out a response.

_To Jumin: Understood._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When you're writing and you need to ask the internet some strange things. 'How long does it take for the hospital to release you after a nonfatal gunshot wound.' ^^;;


	38. The Truth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day Twenty-Five
> 
> “You have a brother?!”

“Are you sure you don’t need me to stay?”

“Mm, it’s fine.” I replied, one hand on the car door. “I’ll call you when we’re done.”

“Make sure that you do. Good luck.” Ye-Jun said, waving a quick goodbye.

“Bye-bye.” I closed the door and turned to walk into the large corporate building.

Today, I was at C&R International. Today, Jumin was holding a RFA meeting. I smiled bitterly as I opened the lavish glass doors. It seemed like today was my day of judgment. What would the RFA do from here? What would they do with me now?

Not that it mattered.

I already knew what I needed to do.

I walked up to the front desk, politely greeting the secretary. I gave them my name and told them that Jumin Han was expecting me. They nodded their clearance to the security guard stationed there after checking the computer and voiced how to get to the conference room Mr. Han assigned for the RFA. They then issued me a pass to get through the security system. Thanking them, I made my way to the elevator.

C&R sure was an expensive place. Even the elevators seemed fit to be in a five-star hotel. As the floors increased, multiple employees joined me inside the square compartment. I think one of them thought they recognized me but doubted themselves. When they took a double take, I just smiled and nodded in greeting. Before they could think on it further, the elevator reached my floor and I excused my way to the front.

Hmm… The room numbers increased by one each time and started with the floor number. Standard. The plaques were elegant, as expected. My heart rate increased the closer I got to the designated room. This would be the first time I saw them face-to-face since then.

This would be the first time we would have a proper conversation, as well.

The truth may very well be revealed today.

I finally made it to the room. I knocked gently on the door and opened it slowly.

The occupants were staring at the entrance with anticipation. Jumin and Jaehee. Zen and Yoosung. Even Seven was here.

“Mi-Yeon, you made it safely.” Jumin greeted while standing up. “Are you doing well?”

“Yes, I’m fine. And you?” I asked courteously. I met each of their eyes once, but felt the need to look away.

“You seem busy these days. Don’t overwork yourself, okay, babe?” Zen said good-naturedly.

Next to him, Yoosung was staring at me with probing eyes. His gaze was almost screaming the questions he wanted answers to. I knew he was taking care of Rika, so I was sure it was her he wanted to know about. However, I wasn’t sure I was the right person for such queries.

“Have a seat.” Jumin said, pulling out a rolling chair away from the center table.

“Thank you.” I responded, sitting down. Jumin was at the head of the table, with Jaehee next to him. With an empty chair between her and me was where Jumin placed me. Across the table were the three other males.

“We’re all here,” Yoosung announced. “Why don’t we start? I don’t want Rika to feel too uncomfortable with the nurse.”

We were all here? I looked towards Jumin.

“We have one more guest.” The businessman informed, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms. “Endure this atmosphere a little longer.”

This tension in the room truly was stifling.

And it was my fault.

“Would you like a coffee, Yoosung? I can go get some.” Jaehee offered. “Anyone else?”

She turned to me. In surprise, my body went ridged and my back straightened. “Oh, no, I’m fine. Thank you.”

“Same here.” Zen piped up. “I can’t let you do more work, especially with trust fund kid overworking you as it is.”

“She is paid as much as she does.” Jumin argued steadily.

“That’s not the point.” Zen growled.

The door opening interrupted their argument. With his arm in a sling, V walked in.

“V, you’re alive?” Yoosung gasped, standing up in shock.

The photographer cocked his head. “Ah, yes, I did survive the gunshot.”

“You were shot?!” Zen suddenly yelled. “Where? Your arm? Are you okay?”

“I thought… with Rika like that…” Yoosung muttered, sitting down heavily. He then let out a relieved sigh.

I smiled softly. It was good to see – that no matter how much Yoosung said he disliked someone, he would never wish death on him or her.

“My shoulder.” V replied, taking a seat on my side of the table to balance out the formation. He gently rubbed the still healing wound. “It’s thanks to Mi-Yeon that I am able to be here still. I know I said it already, but thank you.”

“You don’t need to keep saying that.” I retorted delicately.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait.” Zen said quickly, putting his forehead in his palm, which was held up by the elbow he placed on the table. “Slow down.”

“Who… shot you?” Seven asked quietly. The first words he said sounded alarmed. Like he didn’t want to confirm what he thought was the probable answer.

“…Saeran’s heightened emotions mixed with the drugs’ side effects made him…” V looked for a word. “Unstable. It wasn’t his fault. His reasoning wasn’t farfetched, either. It was my fault he was having such a hard time… I… was too hopeless to stop Rika…”

“It is good that the bullet didn’t hit your heart, V.” Jumin commented.

“Mi-Yeon pulled me out of its direct path.” V said with a soft smile. “I think I’m owing you more and more.”

“I don’t want anything in return.” I replied, turning away so his serene smile didn’t get to me. V not dying from my mistake was more than enough for me.

“How did you manage that?” Jaehee asked, surprised.

“It wasn’t anything superbly heroic or anything.” I explained. “I was watching Saeran aim, so I grabbed V’s arm. I was a little far from him so I pulled and we ended up falling to the ground. A bullet is still far faster than any human movement.”

“Regardless, V was fortunate for your quick thinking.” Jumin said.

While the group processed all of the information so far, I felt Seven’s stare. As I turned to him he called my name, catching everyone’s attention.

“If I pointed a gun at you, would you be scared?” Seven asked.

I tilted my head curiously. The hand he rested on the table turned into a representation of the weapon and he pointed it at me.

“Are you crazy?” Zen asked like the red head had lost his mind. “Of course she would be scared!”

“I’d be nervous, but it depends, I guess.” I answered, making Zen snap his head towards me. “Whether your finger is on the trigger or not.”

“I see.” Seven exhaled, relaxing his hand. “So you’re not panicking at just the mention.”

Was that a relieved sigh I heard from him?

“You were testing to see if she has developed a psychological trigger towards the weapon after seeing V get shot.” Jumin nodded sagely. “It is good to know you do not need counseling. V has already had his assessment during his stay at the hospital. Although, please let us know if you find yourself lost. No one here wants anything terrible to happen to you.”

Seven was staring at me again while I stayed silent.

What…?

“We’re here for you.” V added, patting my back. “Anything you need, tell us.”

“I’m all right.” I reassured.

“You’re not going to tell them the truth?” Seven prodded. “About why I asked _you_ that?”

The truth?

Then it hit me. Who told him? Saeran? Did he read the report the security guards needed to write?

“Mi-Yeon?” Zen questioned gently. “Did something else happen?”

I looked away towards the wall.

Jumin seemed to put the pieces together the quickest. He tapped at a small stack of papers in front of him. “This second bullet the security guards I sent with you reported… Was it aimed at you?”

Would telling the truth give them a bad impression of Saeran? I wanted him to be welcomed into this little family. I wanted him to find happiness, just once in his life. I swallowed nervously.

“Is that true?” V looked stunned.

“Perhaps…” I opted to say.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Zen asked worriedly. I nodded. “This is really fucking insane. And who the hell is Saeran?”

“The hacker and Saeyoung’s brother.” Jumin informed without missing a beat.

“Saeyoung?” Yoosung questioned next.

“Luciel’s birth name.” Jaehee answered.

“You have a brother?!” Zen and Yoosung harmonized in surprise.

The red head hesitated for a moment. “Now that it’s all out, I’ll tell you.” Seven said slowly. “Saeran is my twin brother. My brother and I had to part ways due to family issues when we were young. It’s personal, so I won’t go into details, but just to summarize the facts, my parents were not people who could actually be parents to us. So…

“V gave me the opportunity to start working for an intelligence agency and be independent when I was in middle school. The agency didn’t allow me to stay with family, so I was forced to part ways with Saeran… and V promised me that he would take good care of my brother.” Seven continued, his anger rising. He smacked his palms onto the table. “I… really trusted you, V. I trusted the both of you! And why… Why didn’t you tell me you were going there for him? …He’s my brother. I haven’t… seen him in years…”

“I-“ I stuttered out.

“He’s _my_ brother!” Seven persisted, searching my face for any kind of answer. “You should’ve told me. I should’ve gone with you! And don’t give me that crap you said on the phone, Mi-Yeon.”

“Luciel,” V tried to reason, “She didn’t know until we already left how you two were related.”

“Fine…” The hacker relented reluctantly. “Then tell me what the hell happened. You promised me he’d be safe!”

“Saeyoung, calm yourself.” Jumin interrupted with a strong voice.

“He’s sick and in pain…” Seven gritted his teeth together and clenched his fists. “You and Rika… You were using us to fight your war! I… was fighting my brother… this whole time.”

“I’m sorry, Sae-“ V started to say.

“That’s all you ever say!” Seven yelled. “Stop… Just stop.”

“I don’t know when Rika started to brainwash him.” V answered bluntly. “By the time I found out… he was already…”

Seven heavily leaned back in his chair. He was clenching his fists tightly, preventing himself from physically fighting the photographer.

Yoosung broke the tense silence that followed. “Then you didn’t know Rika was alive, too, right, Mi-Yeon? Otherwise you would’ve told me, right?”

“That…” I trailed off.

“No, she didn’t-“ V tried to save me again.

“I figured it out the day before we left.” I cut him off, looking straight into Yoosung’s amethyst eyes. “I deliberately didn’t tell you.”

“Why…?” Yoosung whimpered. “If… If I went with you, maybe she wouldn’t have turned out like that…! I could’ve talked reason to her!”

I debated with myself if I should get him to turn his anger onto me. To hate me. Things would be easier that way for him. “You’re too emotional. You… would’ve been in the way.”

“Liar.” Yoosung muttered. “You would never think that someone was useless!”

“Why do people always think they know me?” I argued back, sitting up straighter in my chair. “You know nothing about me. Is it because you think you like me? That the person you like can do no wrong? I’m an idol, you know. I make people like me for a living.”

I felt my cheeks heat up in embarrassment at the sudden stillness in the room.

“Indeed, we know nothing about the real you.” Jumin commented off-handedly. “You’ve only shown us your outstanding ability to read other people and act upon their interests.”

I scoffed, “If you know that then hurry up and say what we’re all thinking.”

Say it. Say that I was abnormal. Say that you don’t need me. Say that I was a terrible soul mate. Say that you won’t ever forgive me.

Abandon me.

“You don’t need to protect us from yourself.” Jumin said instead. I snapped my gaze up to him in surprise. “And you don’t need to hurt yourself any further to do so.”

“This is crazy.” Zen let out a breath. “I’m still trying to keep my sanity from falling to pieces, but we would never push you away. You’re already so important to us, Mi-Yeon.”

I tore my gaze away from them again. Did they listen to anything I said…?

Jumin cleared his throat, drawing our attentions. “Let us refocus and start from the beginning. Assistant Kang,”

“Yes, I will keep a written record of everything necessary.” Jaehee replied knowingly.

“You two.” Jumin said, looking at V and me. “Did you know each other beforehand?”

“Is this an interrogation?” V chuckled nervously. “Mi-Yeon is a completely innocent victim. We’ve never met before.”

“Then before we get into what Mint Eye is and how it came to be… Mi-Yeon, how did you get involved?” Jumin asked next.

I lifted the cloth bag I brought with me and laid it on the table. I took out a folder I used to keep the Mint Eye flyers and building blueprints I took from V. I then put Rika’s old daily planner on top. “I used these to blackmail V.”

“Blackmail…?” Zen muttered like he couldn’t wrap his mind around it. “That’s a… pretty serious crime.”

I slid the pile towards Jaehee and shrugged nonchalantly. I already knew what I was getting myself into.

“Proof that Rika was starting Mint Eye.” Jumin said to himself while skimming through the papers. “How did you come to possess these?”

“It wasn’t really blackmail. I… benefitted from our deal, as well.” V argued.

“You don’t need to lie for me.” I disputed. “Call it what it is.”

“Benefitted from your deal? What does that mean?” Yoosung asked, his voice shaking with emotion.

“Mi-Yeon caught me trying to take these from Rika’s apartment. In exchange for taking her to Mint Eye, she… helped me leave without Luciel finding out.”

“So it wasn’t an error that turned off the cameras. It was you.” Seven mumbled in surprise. I nodded in confirmation.

“Let’s get back on track…” Jaehee trailed off, reading over her notes. “So you made a deal with V, Mi-Yeon? And then the two of you decided to go to Mint Eye. In order to do so, you asked for armed security guards in the pretense of going on a nature hike.”

“That’s right.” V said slowly.

“It was my idea.” I revealed. Don’t blame V… I’m the one who used everyone.

“Fairly wise,” Jumin shrugged. “I would recommend just telling the truth, however.”

“And in the end, you went in, blind to what you might encounter and ran into trouble.” Seven interjected. “So you called me to track your location and ask Jumin for more security guards.”

“That’s how the story goes.” I confirmed.

Flipping through a couple documents he brought with him, Jumin then asked, “According to the time frame, from when you called Saeyoung and when we arrived in the helicopter, a couple of hours passed. What happened during that time?”

“Rika… was preparing for Mi-Yeon’s initiation ceremony.” V said slowly, suddenly lost in thought.

“And what was she preparing?” Yoosung asked in a small voice.

“A liquid concoction of multiple hallucinogenic and dopamine producing drugs most likely.” Jaehee said, also looking at one of her documents. “It was found in the bloodstreams of all of the people participating in Mint Eye.”

“I believe so, too.” V agreed. “Rika kept us locked away during that time. They… left me alone for the most part. Mi-Yeon?”

I shook my head negatively. Nothing in particular happened to me then.

“Good, I’m glad.” V said in relief. “I… didn’t realize Rika collected that many more believers since the last time I checked… I’m sorry.”

“Yes, you two were indeed idiotic.” Jumin said dryly. “You never needed to do everything by yourself, but I understand your need to. That’s just part of your essences. Next time, you should rely on us more.”

“I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I agree with him.” Zen sighed. “We’ll help you, in any way we can. Even if it’s just a shoulder to lean on.” He patted Yoosung, who sat next to him, on the head comfortingly. “Maybe we don’t know you two as much as we’d like to think we do. You’re secretive and strong enough to face things on your own. I admire how much weight must be on your shoulders but you’re still standing strong. Just because we don’t always see eye-to-eye doesn’t mean we can’t get along, so let’s start over.”

“No more secrets.” Yoosung added, his hands clenching on top of the table.

He said the things he said, but, to me, it didn’t look like Yoosung was ready to let everything go just yet.

“Yeah,” V chuckled softly, a little watery. “I’d like that.”

But… that would mean all of the distance I put in between myself and them would be meaningless. I was going to corrupt them. Put them on a path that led to endless suffering. I was strange. Twisted. I wasn’t not good enough for them. I…

“You don’t need to be afraid of yourself, Mi-Yeon. Show us. Show us who you really are underneath those pretty masks of yours.” Jumin said in amusement. The smirk he showed us contained his utter satisfaction. Like he found the solution to his most challenging problem after a long process of deciphering the situation. “You are not as destructive as you think. And we are stronger than that.”

I turned my eyes away. Inside… Inside, I was just a frightened, young girl.

A young girl that had high expectations thrust upon her since birth. If she didn’t meet those expectations, she would be worthless. And as much as she struggled to find help, no one was ever there. So off she went down the winding path, alone. To protect her fragile heart, walls made of the coldest ice were constructed. Act nice. Keep people from finding out that in one strong poke, that icy castle would break along with her heart. Act like nothing was wrong. When people got too close to seeing the cracks, she would hurt them with words – because emotional wounds were far more difficult to heal than physical ones. They would stay away after that… Leave her in peace.

Leave me in peace.

“You won’t like what I show you. Why can’t you just let me be?” I asked quietly. I… was tired of arguing. Tired of fighting against their current.

“I think we’ll like you just fine.” Jumin said. “Answer us this: why did you go to Mint Eye? You never knew Rika, and by all intents and purposes, this was a problem for us to deal with.”

“I…” I hesitated. “I wanted to save him… was all.”

I remembered Saeran’s hurt and agonized expression when he broke into Rika’s apartment. I remembered the pain he showed me. The anguish. I couldn’t leave him like that.

“A bad person would tell us the hard truth and leave it for us to handle.” V suddenly announced. “You’re too kind, and you get hurt easily. It’s okay to show us a little at a time. We’ll protect you from now on.”

“Don’t…” I cut myself off. I didn’t want to fight anymore. “…Do whatever you want, then. Are we finished? I’m tired and would like to rest before my next schedule.” I got up from my seat slowly.

Don’t say things like that.

You’ll leave soon, too.

I had no more information for them. They have exhausted my usefulness.

“Will you come with me somewhere?” Seven asked unexpectedly as he also rose. He walked over towards me and took my hand. “We’ll be going first.”

…I never agreed to go with him… Not that I was struggling to get free.

“Thank you, you two, for coming today. Mi-Yeon, please rest well. We’ll talk again soon.” Jumin said like nothing of what was just spoken occurred. “Take care of her, Saeyoung.”

The red head hummed affirmatively as he tugged me out the door.

“Where are you taking me?” I asked once we were alone in the elevator.

“You’re a good person, even if you don’t believe it yourself.” He replied. “I decided that I’d trust you again.”

“What?” I said in confusion.

“So what if you have a bad side? So what if you lied to everyone? I have, too.” He looked at me and gave a small, relieved smile. “If you were a bad person, Saeran would’ve stopped you from visiting with every ounce of energy he had. Instead, you’re the only one who’s gotten him to relax, if only a little bit.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Holidays!


	39. Gemini Twins Know Each Other Best, Part One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day Twenty-Five
> 
> "There’s a good chance you might like the same thing.”

Saeyoung was finally gone. Said he had some meeting to go to.

Whatever…

Sure, his brother wasn’t harming him when they were in the same room together, but he couldn’t put his guard down. He never knew when Saeyoung would pierce through his heart, stab him, and leave. Again.

He was still refusing all treatment. The nurses seem to be complaining about him. About how all Saeyoung needed to do was sign a piece of paper for them to force the drugs on him. Saeyoung has refused to do it every time.

How long will Saeyoung keep coming back…?

He started thinking of that again. Because he was thinking of that, he hasn’t been having any depressing thoughts. However… Saeyoung was getting on his nerves. It was uncomfortable when Saeyoung was around.

Saeran was afraid he’d get used to his brother.

He could never get used to Saeyoung ever again. He didn’t want to fall into that endless black hole.

Saeran looked to the bedside table. The table where that girl always put her phone. The table where a game console now rested. There used to be a vase there… Saeyoung took it away saying he’d change the water. It was strange… Saeyoung took it away just as Saeran had the thought to break it into sharp pieces.

Saeran scoffed to himself. It wasn’t like Saeyoung knew him…

A knock on his door made him look up.

“Saeran, good afternoon. How are you?”

Oh. The therapist. He only agreed to therapy so he didn’t have to be with Saeyoung during those times.

Saeran stared silently at the person.

“He is much less aggressive. This is good progress.” The therapist said to themself, moving the chair and taking a seat in the middle of the room, a little far from the hospital bed. “Tell me your feelings right now.”

“I just want to stare at the sky.” Saeran replied evenly, turning his head towards the window.

“What do you think of when you look at the sky?” The therapist waited. “Do you feel better?”

“I don’t know.” Saeran whispered. “Why do you want to know?”

“Does the color of the sky have something to do with how you feel?”

“How would I know?”

The hospital thinks that he’s making progress because of this. What did they even think they’d learn? All he wanted was to just stare at the sky – the peaceful sky that accepted everyone under it. Other than that, he had no other reason to live. And when the dark depths devoured even that singular reason, he could just leave this world.

 

“Rika…” Yoosung whimpered, tears filling up his eyes.

“I see. That is why Mint Eye was created.” Jumin said stoically. “Rika is quite amazing. She gathered the funds in such a short time.”

“Thank you for handling everything, Jumin.” V acknowledged fondly. “I’m… sorry it turned out this way.”

“I’m only doing this because you two are my friends.” The businessman waved off.

“What… What about the people in there?” Zen asked hesitantly, still shocked by the revelation of Mint Eye.

“Everyone who was affiliated is receiving psychological treatment. Most of them are already released and have returned to their families.” Jaehee responded.

“We found that the building was under Rika’s name and it is currently being cleaned out. I imagine we can even sell it and the funds can be returned to the financier.” Jumin added.

“You have to admit, she is talented in pulling people in. Most of the disciples just briefly mentioned Rika… but they would never think that we are currently hiding her.” Jaehee said worriedly. “Most of those who’ve returned seem to still think that V was behind it all. They still think Rika saved them…”

“I see.” Jumin exhaled slowly. “V, you should be careful from now on. I can give you some bodyguards.”

“Ah…” V fidgeted nervously. “Maybe you’re overestimating things…”

“It’s better safe than sorry.” Zen admonished.

“If that’s the case, I can hire my own.” V chuckled lightly. “Thank you for caring about me.”

“And…” Jaehee paused. “What do we plan to do about Rika? Are we just going to… let her be? Even though she’s unable to speak, it is clear she committed a crime.”

Everyone looked down at the table uncomfortably.

Jumin flipped through a few pages from the pile of documents in front of him. “According to what I’ve found, the twins’ biological mother’s suicide may be related to this.”

“What? If that’s true… that’s very shocking.” Jaehee gasped, discreetly looking towards the photographer.

“I’m… not aware of what Rika did to Saeran and his mother. I… thought he was safe…”

“We can’t pardon her crimes.” Jumin continued. “No matter how great my resources or power may be, this is on a completely different scale.” He sighed. “I can’t do much as her friend.”

“…I understand.” V replied solemnly.

“W-wait…!” Yoosung gulped out. The blonde then looked down, clenching his fists in his lap. Everyone could see his agonized expression. The need to protect someone they held dear, but knew the cold facts.

They felt the same.

“First, we need to take care of Saeyoung’s brother, and then we’ll discuss Rika. If an investigation begins on this outside of our team, it will take a very long time.” Jumin said calculatedly. He stood up. “I believe that is all we can handle, today.”

“I…I-!” Yoosung looked up with determined eyes. “There has to be another reason! Rika wouldn’t… She wouldn’t do this!”

“Yoo-“ V started to say.

“What are you hiding, huh, V?” The blonde interrupted. “Rika…”

“Yoosung, why don’t we go grab lunch, huh?” Zen suggested. “My treat. I don’t think you should be alone right now.”

“Assistant Kang, has my dinner meeting been confirmed yet?” Jumin asked to end the conversation while gathering the documents and handing it to the woman.

“Yes, I received an email confirmation from her just a little bit ago.” Jaehee replied formally.

“Then-!” Yoosung said hurriedly in a stronger voice. “V, why don’t you visit Rika? Seeing you might get her to talk again!”

“I’m not sure that is such a good idea.” Jaehee informed. “Another shock like that… may not be so good for her mentality.”

“One day, Yoosung.” V said firmly. “I will see her again. Now… For now… I believe our wounds need to scar over.”

 

“You…bribed him with ice cream?” Seven said incredulously.

“Hmm…” I hummed in thought. In return for ice cream, I took his time. “I guess I did.”

It was only supposed to be until Saeran was safely in the others’ hands and given love and care… but it turned out like this…

Seven carefully uttered his next words, “What’s his favorite flavor?”

“I don’t know.” I shrugged, carefully eyeing the piles of ice cream bars and cones situated in the freezer box. “I asked him once, but he didn’t say anything. He’s a bit neutral on vanilla and chocolate. Melon and sweet red bean were good, but he wasn’t crazy about them. He really liked the Dweji Bar, which has sweet strawberry jam in the middle, so I think he’ll enjoy the super sweet flavors the most.”

I swore I heard him mumble something about Jumin being right.

I looked up at him and tilted my head curiously. “What’s yours?”

“Huh?”

“Favorite flavor. There’s a good chance you might like the same thing.”

“… Honey?” He replied sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head.

“Honey Buddha Chips is not an ice cream flavor. And although that honeycomb ice cream is popular, we can’t get it here.” I giggled. Looking down into the freezer again, I asked, “How about cookies and cream?”

“Oh, that’s delicious.”

“Then let’s get a couple of the Lotte Okdongja bars. Have you had it?”

“No. What is it?”

“Vanilla ice cream surrounds a layer of hard chocolate, and inside the chocolate is cookies and cream ice cream.” I explained, sliding open the glass lid. I dug into the pile and grabbed two.

“Why not three? We can eat it together.” He said, taking out his wallet.

“I wasn’t kidding when I said I had somewhere to be soon.” I replied, handing him the treats. “I can pay. Consider it a gift if you want.”

“Next time.” He shrugged, going to the counter before I could protest more. “I thought your promotions were over? Isn’t that why you were given a couple days off?”

“The main bulk of it. The rest of the week is filled with signing events and meet and greets, then it’s over. I got a couple days off because I had nothing scheduled, not really because our promotions ended.” I shrugged. “Although… I was supposed to work on something…”

“Oh? And what’s that something?”

“School stuff is all.” I replied.

“Well…” Seven drawled out as we walked to his car. “Do you have enough time to at least visit him a bit?”

I nodded in agreement, opening the passenger side door and getting in. We drove to the hospital in silence. It wasn’t uncomfortable, per say, but it wasn’t like always. Lots of things happened, after all.

When we reached Saeran’s floor and walked closer to his room, we heard the faint sounds of a conversation.

“What’s your relationship to your caretaker? I see that your aggressiveness has substantially gone down after he started taking care of you.”

“That’s none of your business.”

After a short pause, the exchange continued. “The chart says that he’s your brother, but I suppose you two might not get along now. Something bad might have happened when you were children… something traumatic.”

I looked towards Seven. His head was bent forward, in thought. A pained expression danced across his face. I reached out and gently skimmed the pads of my fingers against the back of his hand. He looked up, jolted out of his thoughts. Seven smiled softly and continued forward, peeking through the slim viewing window discreetly.

“Saeran’s mad.” Seven said, suddenly panicked. His eyes flitted to and fro. “He’s not… going to throw that, is he? He’s too gentle… He’s going to regret it later…!”

Before he could rush in, I grabbed his elbow with one hand and the plastic bag with the ice cream in the other. “Wait. He still doesn’t want to see you, right? Going in there when he’s already mad won’t allow him to settle down.”

“I can’t let him-“

“I’ll go.” I looked at him, silently asking him to trust me.

Seven swallowed nervously, but nodded his consent nonetheless. “Be careful.”

“Who are you to ask me about my life?! What the hell do you know about me?!” Saeran’s yell seemed to reverberate against the door.

Like throwing a bucket of ice into the heated atmosphere, I forcefully pushed the door open with the utmost of enthusiasm. “Sae~ran~!” I sang happily. Loudly.

The sudden interruption made him freeze up. His eyes were wide like a deer caught in headlights.

The therapist coughed in annoyance, “Excuse me. This is a private session.”

“Ah,” I put my hands together. “Sorry, sorry! I was just so excited to come see him that I didn’t even look. No one stopped me.”

“Yes, well, if you can kindly leave the room, I would be grateful.”

I put on my saddest pout. “This was the only time I had to visit… and I have to leave for an important meeting soon.” I said in a pitiful voice. “Since I interrupted anyways, can’t I just say my hellos quickly? I’ll be out of your hair completely after that.”

The therapist huffed in frustration but motioned me towards the patient.

I gave the therapist a big grin in gratitude and hurried forward. Using my body to cover what was undoubtedly about to happen, I put my hand on top of Saeran’s on the gaming console and bent towards his ear.

“You’ll get in trouble.” I whispered, keeping my lips away from the therapist’s view.

“…So?” Saeran whispered back.

I thought for a moment. “Don’t you want to just stare at the sky?” He looked surprise for a moment. “If you keep harassing the medical staff, they might move you to a ward with… less freedom. I don’t want that for you.”

“What’s even the point in me living…?”

I don’t think he realized he said that out loud, but my blood ran cold. Saeran was staring down at the bed forlornly.

“You live to survive.” I replied. As I grappled for more of an answer, I looked at the device now in my hand. “So, Saeran, play the game with me.”

“Game?”

“Survive with me. Select any kind of character you want to get through the situation. When your body is healthy enough to leave, I’ll take you to a place where you can lay in the grass all day and stare at the changing sky.”

He looked at me straight in the eye.

Instead, I felt the therapist’s eyes boring holes into the back of my head for taking so long. I gave him a small smile as I straightened my body and tugged the game console out of his hand, taking it with me. I walked over to where the therapist sat and set the plastic bag down next to their chair. “Incentive to _play nice_.”

The moment I walked out and closed the door, Seven pulled me behind the wall. I put my hand on his arm to steady myself from the sudden momentum. His limb under his sleeve was firm. Quite muscular, to be honest.

He was probably very strong…

I felt my cheeks blush slightly.

What was wrong with me? I work with many attractive and robust males. I even spent almost a whole day with Zen!

…Well… Seven did keep his strength a secret. Maybe a little mystery went a long way…

I discreetly cleared my throat and tapped the gaming device to his chest, inviting him to grab it. To save my own sanity, I took a step back.

“How is he?”

“I think you’re doing the best you can. Don’t forget to stick by his side.” I said in a soft, jovial voice so he could stop looking so sick with worry. He took the console.

“I’m never leaving his side again.” He promised himself.

“Good.” I patted his shoulder and walked around him. “I really have to go now. I’ll call my manager, so you just stay here.”

“Thanks, Mi-Yeon.” Seven said, stopping me briefly. “See you later.”

“…Sure. Later.”

 

“Mr. Han,” Jaehee called out as she entered her boss’s office. “You need to leave soon if you are to make your dinner reservation for two.”

“Thank you for reminding me.” Jumin replied with a tired exhale as he stood up from his chair. “Call Dri-“

“Already done, sir.” Jaehee interrupted. “He is waiting for you downstairs.”

“Impeccable, as always. You should go home and rest. It has been a long day.”

Jaehee silently cheered, nearly fist pumping in joy.

Jumin ignored the motion and walked out of the office with her.

“Have a good dinner, Mr. Han.”

“Yes, and get home safely.” Jumin said. “Take a company driver if you’d like.”

Saying everything they needed to say to each other, the two parted ways. Making his way to ground level, Jumin greeted Driver Kim and entered the luxury car. He was on his way to a high end, traditional Korean restaurant to meet a special lady that may very likely hold the answers to his questions.


	40. Gemini Twins Know Each Other Best, Part Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day Twenty-Five, Day Twenty-Six
> 
> "It’s like we’re complimentary twins.”

When Jumin arrived at the restaurant, the host led him to the private dining area he reserved just for the occasion. As always, Jumin ordered some wine to be served as he waited for his guest.

Reading the menu idly, Jumin decided on a fish dish tonight.

“I’m sorry, did I keep you waiting long?”

He looked up and eyed the pretty woman getting led to his table. “Ms. Lee.” Jumin greeted, standing up politely. The host pulled out her chair for her. “Thank you for agreeing to meet me in your valuable free time. With Mi-Yeon as busy as she is, I am positive you are just as.”

“Not at all, it’s my pleasure, Mr. Han.” She replied. “You can call me comfortably if you’d like. I’m sure we’ll see each other often from now on.”

“Seo-Yeon, then.” Jumin rephrased. “You may, as well.”

“Ahh… That might take some getting used to. You are a highly respectable man, and older than me at that.” She laughed softly. Seo-Yeon looked around the restaurant in admiration. “This is a different class than what I’m used to.”

“Whatever you are comfortable with.” Jumin shrugged. “Order anything you wish. Money is of no consequence.”

“If you’re sure…” Seo-Yeon replied uncertainly. She read over the menu. “It has been a long time since I last had any traditional food like this.”

“Is that so?” He said automatically, his mind queuing the response that was used most in such conversations.

Jumin looked over the girl silently as she continued to actively talk about what was usually eaten at her family home and with her roommate. She continued to ask his recommendations and expertise before picking an entree. Her presence was much different than her duet partner’s. A very energetic aura compared to Mi-Yeon’s calm one.

Eventually, a waiter came to their table and asked if they were ready to order their dinner.

“The lady will have Galbitang, and I will have Black Cod Jurim.” Jumin said.

“Very well, sir. Is there anything else I can get for you?”

“That will be all for now.”

The waiter tilted his head politely and walked away to relay their selections.

It was silent for only a moment before Seo-Yeon broke it with an amused voice. “So, what is the reason you called me here, Mr. Han? Surely, this isn’t a date.”

“A ‘date’ was not even on my mind.” Jumin said bluntly.

“Ouch,” She scoffed back.

“As her proclaimed best friend, I am sure you know Mi-Yeon well enough to know the her behind the facades.”

“Oh~” Seo-Yeon sang gently. “I’m impressed. As expected of soul mates, I guess.”

“So you do know she is protecting herself.”

“Of course.” She smiled. “But that doesn’t mean I’ll make it easy for you. Half of the fun is getting to know each other.”

“I do not expect easy.” Jumin informed. “I do not even expect efficient. Mi-Yeon is a complex woman I am interested in unraveling.”

“That is some strange compliment.” Seo-Yeon laughed. “I’ll tell you a couple hints that might save you some heartache in the long run. Mi-Yeon is kind – too gentle in nature. She won’t distrust you, but she doesn’t expect anything out of you. Rather, she won’t expect you to stay.”

“Stay?”

“She’s used to being left alone. So if you’re serious about this, then make sure you’re persistent. If she tells you to leave, try even harder to glue yourself to her side. And if you’re not serious, I suggest you walk away now. She’ll most definitely hurt you. You’d never expect it, but she has a sharp tongue.”

“Hmm…” Jumin hummed, sipping his wine. “Yes, if I had never witnessed her verbal assault, I would not believe that she was capable of such words.”

Seo-Yeon giggled, “Did you get her mad already? Or maybe you got too close?”

“Probably a fair amount of both.”

“Haha~ well, no matter what she shows you, there’s a little truth behind everything.”

“In what instance is she the most like herself?”

“Hmm… I’d say when she’s singing on stage. Have you seen?”

“I can’t say I’m interested in such entertainment.”

She lifted an eyebrow in amusement. “Well, Mi is not as standoffish, but she’s a bit as aloof as her stage image. Cool and distant. It’s because she’s naturally a quiet person.”

Jumin nodded in understanding.

“Even though you’re both quite cold, you’re the intimidating kind. She’s much more approachable.” Seo-Yeon said in amusement, putting her chin in her hand. “Less emotionless, too.”

“Big words for someone who said I was highly respectable.”

She laughed behind her hand. “I’m sorry, did I get too comfortable? I have been told that I can be a bit overbearing. Well, she may be more emotional than you, but her reactions are never big – just a soft laugh or a silent cry. Hmm… But in unusual or extreme situations… her level of emotional reaction is… a bit broken, to be honest.”

“Broken?”

“A roller coaster, for example. People scream in fear or excitement. Or at least look like they’re having fun or sick or scared.”

“Do they?”

“…” Seo-Yeon silently looked at her dinner partner. He was completely serious. “Yes. Maybe… You’ll understand her… Anyways, Mi-Yeon can ride a roller coaster with a straight face. It’s neither fun nor too scary for her. She even admitted on camera that she doesn’t understand why people are afraid of the swinging boat ride. They’re not adrenaline rushing entertainment for her.”

“I see. So the stimulation needed for emotional arousal seems to sharply increase after a certain point.”

Perhaps that was the part in Mi-Yeon’s personality that allowed her to stay calm in any situation. Much like V, if he were to be honest. Although, Mi-Yeon seemed to rely more on logic during dangerous situations while V weighed his decisions emotionally.

“Err… I suppose you could say it like that.”

“Do her parents know who she truly is?”

She laughed, covering her mouth with a hand as the amusement took over her body. Jumin raised an eyebrow.

“Her parents are the ones she wants to convince the most. Above all else.”

“…Why is that?”

“Probably because she loves them. Because she wants to be loved in return. You would love a perfect daughter, wouldn’t you?”

“Whether any daughter of mine were perfect or not, I would love them all the same.”

“I agree, but pretty words like that don’t work on Mi-Yeon. Love makes her scared despite her desiring it so much. That callous is something she hopes to hide from them forever.”

Seo-Yeon wasn’t willing to reveal much more than that. Jumin respected such a strong bond between the two girls and let the topic go. He had gotten information to start understanding his soul mate. If the suggestion worked for Seo-Yeon, surely, with time, it will work for him and the others.

When their entrees arrived, the two of them ate in comfort. Seo-Yeon struck up a new conversation after every discussion ended, not allowing any silence to get in between them. What a talkative woman. However, it wasn’t unpleasant. Jumin would describe the atmosphere as casual. She wasn’t prying any information out of him, or flirting to get on his good side. Friendly.

Jumin took notice of the phone Seo-Yeon had placed face down on the table. It was protected by a purple case with a strange symbol in white printed across the middle. He didn’t recognize it as any company logo.

“If you don’t mind me asking, what is that symbol on your phone?”

“Oh, this is YeonYeon’s symbol. It’s the Gemini symbol, but the twin lines in the middle were made into Y’s. Mi-Yeon has the same case with the colors reversed – the case white and the symbol in radiant orchid. Radiant orchid is our official color, by the way.

“Mi-Yeon was born on May 22nd and I was born on June 20th, which are both within the Gemini Zodiac. Well, I’m a year older than her, but that’s beside the point. We had a professional personality test done on us once and we were found to be almost exact opposites in introversion and extroversion. It’s like we’re complimentary twins.” She said proudly. “If she wasn’t so much like my sister, I’d say we are the ones that are soul mates.”

“You’re relationship is enviable. I believe I can say the same about my closest friend. We are not very similar, he has what I do not.”

“It’s good to have a friends like we do, don’t you think? Well, I guess you get the privilege to be her soul mate.” Seo-Yeon teased gently.

After dinner, being the gentleman that he was, Jumin offered to have Driver Kim drive the K-Pop idol back home. She agreed, seeing as it was free transportation with someone trustworthy.

“Before I leave you to your journey of bonding with Mi, I’ll give you one last piece of advice.” Seo-Yeon piped up with a playful smirk. Her apartment building was just coming into view through the car window. “Her silence is key.”

“Her silence is key?” Jumin raised an eyebrow.

She proceeded to hum a little tune, ignoring him until Driver Kim parked the vehicle. “If she doesn’t feel the need to fill the silence with your interests, she’s comfortable. The quieter she is, the lower her walls.” Seo-Yeon winked conspiratorially and got out when Driver Kim opened the door. “Thanks for dinner. And thank you, Mr. Kim for driving me home. Until next time~!”

Seo-Yeon… was a lot to handle, Jumin admitted to himself. There was no physical activity in tonight’s events, but he was left exhausted.

“Mr. Han?”

“Back to the penthouse, Driver Kim.” He sighed.

“Of course, sir.”

Mi-Yeon must have a superb mental energy level. Perhaps keeping quiet and allowing Seo-Yeon to exhaust herself was truly the way to go.

Silence was key, huh?

It was true that Mi-Yeon has kept a pleasant conversation going every time she chatted with someone, filling in any quietness before it could become uncomfortable.

But it was strange.

Mi-Yeon was the one who taught them to come together. Work together. Everything would be all right if they were together.

Perhaps that was also part of her true self – the one that cried for companionship. The one she was showing them now was to protect that inner core. If she expected to be left alone in the end, then why not remove herself first? However, if Seo-Yeon was correct in that Mi-Yeon was kind to a fault, Mi-Yeon would view herself as the problem and leave for that reason. To leave before dragging anyone into her dark world.

 

Saeran slowly opened his eyes, his body cocooned warmly within the blankets. The morning light filtered through the blinds covering the window. Blearily, he stared through the cracks, lost in the emotions his dreams left him with.

He dreamt of Saeyoung. He dreamt of the time his every action was centered around his brother. Because he loved his brother. He smiled for a photograph because he thought that Saeyoung must be out in the world, alive and happy – not burdened by his weak brother. He started studying the things Saeyoung used to study. It made Saeran feel connected to his lost brother. He wanted to find clues to why Saeyoung left in the same book he studied from.

…If he knew… If he knew Saeyoung betrayed him, he… would never have taken the book from Rika. Things would have been easier if he lived at home with his mom and starved to death.

Oh well… He was already used to not doing what he wanted with his life. He was destined to be used and thrown away. That was that…

Blinking slowly, the beam of sunlight became clearer. If he played the game… would she use him, too? He… didn’t have anything of worth for her. The only thing he was good at… wasn’t nearly good enough to defeat Saeyoung. He was useless. Saeran had nothing.

Why… did he feel peaceful…? Like he didn’t mind being used by her… Just because she kept one silly little promise… Two…? Would she keep the one about taking him to a place to watch the sky all day? If he trusted her enough for that one more moment, perhaps he’d have no regrets leaving. Maybe a place like that could be his final resting place…

“Are you awake…?”

Bright red hair suddenly obstructed his view of the sunbeam. Saeran’s eyes widened in surprise. He quickly lifted his upper body with his elbow, staring at the man in front of him.

“What the hell is this…?” Saeran hissed. Yesterday, he screamed and yelled until Saeyoung remained quiet. His brother, instead, stayed with his back leaning against the door until visiting hours were over.

Saeyoung tilted his head curiously. “You took the medicine last night…”

So what if he did? He only agreed to take the ones that would heal his body. His mind was already tattered beyond help.

Saeyoung suddenly smiled gently, leaning away from his inspection. “Yeah… Mi-Yeon’s pretty convincing sometimes. Jumin isn’t trying to move you to the psychiatric ward anymore now.” He paused, now smiling in amusement. “I get it, you want to keep the ice cream thing just between the two of you.”

That wasn’t the reason. There was nothing special about the ice cream. But why did it suddenly seem to anger him that Saeyoung spoke about it so easily? Why was Saeyoung even here?! Why can’t Saeyoung see that Saeran was breaking because of him?! Nothing would change if he got mad and started yelling, but nonetheless, the emotions burst forth.

Saeran sat up on the bed, putting his feet on the ground to fully face Saeyoung. “Why the hell are you here?!” He reached behind him and grabbed his pillow, throwing it against the wall by his brother. “I’m… I’m going to kill you!” He ripped away the blanket and threw it as well. The cup of water on the bedside table. Anything he could see with his eyes.

“Saeran…” Saeyoung whimpered, not moving, his eyes only on Saeran.

Stop… Stop making that face…!

His head started splitting in two… Just like the first couple of times he saw her face to face. Mi-Yeon…

Saeran fell to the ground, crouching down and grabbing his head. “Ahh….Aarrrrrghh!”

It hurt to see his brother. It hurt to see his brother sad. But Saeran couldn’t… not again – he couldn’t let his life be ruled by someone who would betray him. The sound coming from his body, the water flowing from his eyes told him he was still alive.

He wanted to get out of here. He wanted to go with Mi-Yeon. He wanted to see the peaceful sky with his own eyes. He… didn’t want to start doubting even that!

…But…what was the point of all of this? What was the point… of resisting and yelling? He was a human who couldn’t make any changes. He was living a meaningless life. Why was he still trying…? Why… even wait to see the sky when he could just become one with it…? There was no reason for him to survive... with her… with him. With anyone.

Everything was pointless.

The depressing feeling disappeared all of a sudden. Why the feeling came or why it went, even that didn’t matter anymore.

“Saeran…?” Saeyoung whispered worriedly, sitting shoulder to shoulder with him on the ground.

“…” Nothing mattered. Saeran… gave up.

“Saeran…” Saeyoung continued gently. “Let’s not go through any pain anymore and live a happy life. I know it’s difficult to go back to how we were. Are you refusing all this… because it’s difficult to accept it? You feel as if everyone you’ve ever trusted betrayed you? I don’t know… how hurt you are. But I can guess.

“We’re… twins. I can tell that you’re in pain just by looking at your fingertips. But your life doesn’t end just because you hate the world. The sun will always rise. We just have to live for tomorrow. All the wounds you have from the past… You can just leave them there. I will always accept you… Just come back to me when you are ready.”

A silence enveloped them. Saeran didn’t want to say anything and just buried his head in his arms that rested on his raised knees.

His head stopped pounding.

Saeran felt… at ease. Like there was nothing left for him to fear.

“Saeran… Saeran… I really wanted to call this name… For a long time, I wanted to. Even though the one who gave us these names threw us out to a hellish world… When I call you Saeran… I was awed that there was something in this world that I had to protect. I was young and I didn’t know how to best protect you… but at that time, I believed I was doing the right thing. I’m blessed to have someone I need to protect.”

Saeyoung turned his head and smiled brightly before speaking again. “Thank you… Saeran. For being there so that I can protect you. For being here… right now. So… Please… don’t have any bad thoughts. Even if you think no one in this world loves you, even if there is no point for you to stay alive in this world, you are all wrong. You just existing beside me… gives me one more reason to live. Please… listen to the voice inside your heart. Have faith that you can trust people… and be happy again. Please… Don’t go, Saeran.”

Saeran felt Saeyoung’s shoulder leaning against his own more.

“Please. I beg of you as a brother. Please… don’t leave without me. I will never leave without you, too… I know you won’t forgive me… Let’s just… stay in the same world.” Saeyoung pleaded gently.

Saeran swallowed a painful lump in his throat.

…Even if he didn’t say anything, Saeyoung knew by instinct. Saeyoung knew that he was thinking of leaving.

Being twins was such a discomfort…


	41. Never Again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day Twenty-Seven, Day Thirty
> 
> "Freedom… There was never a time before that he could ever tack that word next to his name."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Suicide Attempt Warning!

He was here again. Just like he promised both himself and his brother. He slowly approached the door to the room his brother was resting in. As he reached for the door handle, his heart lurched to a stop. He felt anxious. He felt despair welling up in his heart.

Saeran… wanted to leave. Disappear from this world forever.

Saeyoung tightly clenched his hands, turning to lean against the wall and close his eyes. To keep from crying out, he bit his lip harshly.

The back of his head gently hit the wall. He opened his eyes and stared blankly at the white ceiling of the hospital. Blindly, he groped for his phone in his pocket and brought it up to his face. Saeyoung hesitated, but eventually punched in the number of the person who cared for Saeran just as much as he did – or at least, enough to risk a whole lot for Saeran.

He hoped… she could ease his troubled heart, like she had so many times before.

The phone stopped ringing, the recipient answering the call.

A pause.

“Mi-Yeon… Are you there?” Saeyoung whispered.

_“…You sound upset.”_

He chuckled dryly. Trust her to pick up on every little detail in a split second. “I… Saeran…”

_“How is he doing?”_

“Mi-Yeon… I’m so scared, to be honest.” Saeyoung admitted in a low voice, making sure none of the staff milling around could hear. “I can just feel it… I know he’s having bad thoughts…”

_“I know.”_

Her response floored him, but he soon regained his senses. Of course she knew… She kept as close of an eye on Saeran just as he did. “I don’t know what’s the best for him…! All I can do… is tell him that everything will be fine, that I won’t go anywhere now…”

_“Encouraging him is good, but don’t you think it’s his decision for what’s best for him?”_

Saeyoung took a steadying breath. “I’m sorry, for making you see me so weak.”

_“I don’t care about that.”_

He closed his eyes again, feeling his lips tug into a small smile in amusement. Even if she damned herself, she was the best soul mate they could ask for. “I know that he will come back. Saeran has gotten through everything so far. I’m going to make him live. I’m going to make sure that he lives… and becomes healthy and happy again. As painful as it was for him without me… I’m going to do my best so that he’s happy.”

_“Of course. That’s how it should be, so don’t give up on him.”_

“Thank you…” He whispered. He needed to hear those words. Saeran wasn’t alone. Saeyoung was no longer alone, either. “Ah… how are you?”

_“We don’t need to go through the pleasantries. Shouldn’t you be with your brother? Stay with him, give him a helping hand, and he’ll see things with his own eyes, for once. Believe in him.”_

He wouldn’t leave Saeran.

Never again.

Saeyoung bid his farewell to the girl and dropped his hand with a long exhalation. Saeran will be happy soon. He would make sure of it.

 

Saeran stared at his brother leaning against the wall next to the door to his hospital room. Through the thin viewing window, he saw Saeyoung call someone while making that sad face.

The idiot… he actually came back.

Saeran wondered whom his brother was calling.

“Tch, what do I care?” He scoffed, turning to look out the window. The sky was a little dark today. Cloudy. He suspected that it would start to rain soon. Even if the sky wasn’t its usual blue, it was still beautiful – perhaps not as peaceful and perhaps not as harmless, but still magnificent.

Cutting through his thoughts, Saeyoung opened the door, greeting him jovially.

Saeran said nothing in return.

Saeyoung took the chair and sat in the corner of the room, as far away as possible from Saeran.

Shifting his eyes discreetly, Saeran saw his brother fiddle with the new entertainment he brought. A stress ball. Something presumably harmless. Physically, a person would probably only get a nasty bruise if the ball was thrown hard enough. Mentally, Saeran felt a little disturbed by the toy. It was in the shape of some kind of zombie’s head, and when squeezed it would look like the zombie’s brains were gushing out.

Ugh… Why couldn’t Saeyoung have a normal one? Or a normal anything, really. His glasses were striped, his cars were expensive to all hell, he only ate chips that were too rare for what they were made of… He stubbornly stayed by Saeran’s side…

Saeran mentally scoffed. Saeyoung should get a normal brain while he was at it. Anyone else would have left by now.

…Mi-Yeon, too.

Maybe that girl was weirder – risking her life like that and going straight back to the person who tried to shoot her.

Whatever… He was only playing her game to get the prize at the end.

…But… if he played her game for too long… survived for too long… what was he supposed to do? Living… didn’t mean anything to him.

“Hey,” Saeran called out, breaking the silence in the room. Saeyoung sat up ramrod straight, all of his attention suddenly on his brother. Saeran refused to look into the eyes that matched his own, stubbornly staring out the window. “Give me your phone.”

“…What?”

“Let me borrow your damn phone.” Saeran hissed, turning to glare at his brother. “Heh, don’t trust me not to hack into something?”

He saw Saeyoung swallow nervously before getting up and walking to the bed. “It’s… not that…”

It totally was. Whatever, he didn’t care what Saeyoung thought. His twin held out the phone and Saeran took it before Saeyoung could change his mind. The two of them stared at each other.

Saeyoung relented, nodding his head before going back to the chair in the corner.

Saeran carefully watched his brother before going through the contacts in the phone. He nearly snorted at the names that were saved. They were strange, but he did enough research on everyone to know what name went with which person. Saeran created a new text message to the person he was looking for. He’d delete everything after he got his answers.

 

_To Mi-Chan~~~: You survive, and then what?_

_From Mi-Chan~~~: What…?_

_To Mi-Chan~~~: You told me to play the game. The point in life is to survive. And then what?_

_From Mi-Chan~~~: Saeran?_

_From Mi-Chan~~~: You find what makes you happy. Live your happiest survival._

_To Mi-Chan~~~: So there’s nothing._

_From Mi-Chan~~~: You’ll find something._

_To Mi-Chan~~~: Was this your plan? Get me out of this place and then force salvation on me?_

_From Mi-Chan~~~: I want you to be healthy. That’s why I want you to be able to leave the hospital._

_From Mi-Chan~~~: However, Saeran, it’s your life. No one else can say otherwise. You decide for yourself what makes you happy._

_To Mi-Chan~~~: Decide for myself…?_

_To Mi-Chan~~~: There’s… nothing like that._

_From Mi-Chan~~~: You can take all the time in the world to find it._

_From Mi-Chan~~~: You’re free._

Free?

Saeran felt a hysterical laugh bubbling up his throat. Saeyoung looked over at the choked sound Saeran made in attempt to hold his emotions back.

Freedom… There was never a time before that he could ever tack that word next to his name. But even now… even now he wasn’t free. It wasn’t the confining hospital room. It wasn’t even his brother’s watchful eyes that were always on him.

It was her.

 

_To Mi-Chan~~~: You freed me. So what do you want from me?_

_From Mi-Chan~~~: Didn’t I already tell you? Silly, don’t forget this time._

_From Mi-Chan~~~: I want you to try living the life you’ve always wanted._

Didn’t she want something for going through the trouble? Didn’t she… need to use him for something? And live a life he had always wanted? What did that even mean…?

 

_From Mi-Chan~~~: No one is rushing you, so take your time._

_From Mi-Chan~~~: Rest well, Saeran._

 

**Three Days Later**

_“Is that really such a good idea, Seven?”_

“He’s not getting any better being confined in a hospital room. And he can take the meds he’s actually willing to take at home.” Saeyoung sighed quietly.

_“Being confined in your home won’t be any different… And… well, you can’t say he’s mentally stable.”_

“Maybe… Maybe a change in environment will do him some good.” Saeyoung replied slowly, looking over his shoulder and through the slightly ajar door. His brother quietly sat on the sofa. “I only called to tell you so you didn’t go visit him at the hospital. Since you’re the only one who can visit, Mi-Yeon…”

_“Jumin probably could, he already reconnected his soul with Saeran’s. But I understand why he hasn’t. It wouldn’t be good for Saeran to be overwhelmed.”_

“Yeah…” He chuckled. “You’re the strange one.”

_“Perhaps.”_

“Thanks for being there for him all this time.”

 _“You don’t need to thank me.”_ Mi-Yeon paused. _“Are you absolutely certain you should have taken him out of the hospital? I don’t want him there as much as you don’t, but…”_

“He’s my brother. I won’t let anything happen to him. Never again.”

 

Saeyoung was talking on the phone with someone again. Did Saeyoung really think that by just going into that computer room a few feet away and only closing the door most of the way would prevent Saeran from hearing him?

Saeran sighed, looking at the gaudy decorations.

Why was he brought here?

Freedom…

He wasn’t free. He was stuck here…

“I’ll go get some water and food… It’ll take me about an hour.” Saeyoung said, walking back into the living room.

Saeran said nothing in reply.

If he didn’t have the powers to destroy the world… the only choice he had was to destroy himself. Then and only then would he be free. He wouldn’t have any painful thoughts anymore.

When he dies… will he return to when he was innocent before he was born? Will he completely disappear from the world? Will he merge with the sky?

Saeran didn’t know. He didn’t need to know.

Saeyoung looked at him, making sure he understood that it was only an errand before going to the garage.

Kitchens usually had knives, didn’t they?

After hearing the door close, Saeran got up from his seat.

“…I guess this will do.” He whispered to himself, lifting up a knife to inspect. This was the end. He stared at the object shining in his hand.

He was going back. Returning to the world that housed raw souls. He didn’t know what waited for him… but anything was less painful than here… right? He was free.

He was free…!

Saeran felt so light. He closed his eyes, greeting the darkness that would soon consume his sight completely.

“Bye…”

Vertigo happened first. His body fell, the blade clattering to the ground just after him.

Hands gripped his wrists tightly, pinning them down.

Opening his eyes, Saeran was completely blinded – clothing directly in front of his vision. Saeran could smell him from this close distance. It felt like there wasn’t blood flowing into his wrists.

“…Ah.” Saeyoung breathed out shakily next to his ear. It sounded like he was about to cry.

Saeran couldn’t move his body.

Why…Why was Saeyoung stopping him again…? What the hell does Saeyoung want him to do…? Why wasn’t Saeyoung… letting him go?

“…Don’t go.” Saeyoung whimpered.

Why, why, why…?

Saeran ground his teeth together. It was because of Saeyoung. He couldn’t leave because of Saeyoung. “…You said you’d be back in an hour, idiot.” Saeran replied softly.

What was he saying?

“I started the ignition and had a bad feeling so I came back right away.”

He couldn’t die… all because of Saeyoung. Saeyoung always stopped him.

Saeran kept having strange dreams because of the memories his brother left. He kept remembering sad things because of the promises Saeyoung made. And because Saeyoung was still here… He couldn’t be free.

“Let go. I won’t die right now.”

Saeyoung flinched at the words, lifting himself up so they could stare at each other’s faces.

Saeyoung… has gotten so much bigger than when they were kids. So much time has passed between them. Ironically, Saeran had the time to look at his brother right now. Saeran has never seen him this close before. Saeyoung still had traces of childhood. However, at this moment, Saeyoung’s face looked so fragile, like it would shatter any minute.

“Don’t go.” Saeyoung repeated firmly despite the tears streaming down his cheeks. The liquid fell from his chin onto Saeran’s cheek. “Don’t go, Saeran.”

Why hold him like this – pinned to the floor?

Idiot.

Saeyoung’s life wouldn’t get any better because he stayed…

“Let go. I won’t do it.” Saeran replied truthfully, relaxing his expression.

Saeyoung’s plan worked. Saeran wouldn’t die first.

The two of them stayed silent for a long time, and finally, Saeyoung let his brother get up from the floor.

Brushing the ground with his hand, Saeran got up after his brother stood.

His plan failed.

Yes… It failed… Because…

It might be right to send Saeyoung off first.

Screaming his effort, Saeran pushed Saeyoung against the wall, stabbing the knife into the plaster right next to Saeyoung’s head, nicking his ear. Saeran proceeded to wrap his hands around his brother’s neck.

“Ahk…!” Saeyoung coughed. He didn’t raise his hands to push Saeran away. “Saeran… ah…”

Saeran had to get rid of his brother first. Saeyoung had to disappear… so he could disappear afterwards. He could be free. This was it.

The times they spent together… The memories the made together… everything…

**_“She just said whatever because she’s drunk… She does that a lot. Saeran, cheer up. Do you want to go get some ice cream?”_ **

“Saeran… Saeran… ugh…” Saeyoung croaked out.

Saeran swallowed hard. “Don’t call my name!!”

Please… Saeyoung… let him go. Let him release all of his pain.

**_“I will set you free before we become adults.”_ **

No… Liar… Liar… Liar! He wouldn’t fall for it anymore… He wouldn’t. “I won’t fall for any lies now!”

“Saeran…”

“Don’t even make that face. Even if you die… I won’t fall for it!” Saeran stuttered out.

Saeyoung could die. Deserved it, even. Saeyoung betrayed him.

**_“We’re twins. You’re me… and I’m you.”_ **

Saeran wouldn’t fall for it. Not the memories. Not even if Saeyoung wasn’t resisting right now. Saeran wouldn’t fall for it… he wouldn’t…

This was the moment he’s been waiting for. For years, he told himself that he’d kill Saeyoung with his own hands.

“Finally… Finally, I did it. I won…” He wouldn’t fall for the lies. He couldn’t get hurt now. “…Admit it…”

No more pain.

“…Saeran.”

“I won’t believe you… Even if you die in front of me… I won’t fall for it again. Never…!”

“My… one and only… brother.” Saeyoung croaked out breathily, his voice cracking.

“Don’t say that…”

If he kept strangling Saeyoung, Saeyoung was going to die, right? For the first time… for the first time in his life, he’d get what he wanted, right…?

**_“I’ll watch over you… until you’re healthy and can walk out of this room. I’ll never give up on you this time.”_ **

No. He wasn’t going to believe those words.

Why was he remembering them?

Saeyoung will die for him. Saeyoung will die for him, just like he wanted.

**_“I want you to try living the life you’ve always wanted.”_ **

The fact that he could do whatever he wanted filled his mind.

“…You can die for me?” Saeran questioned in a low voice, his grip loosening.

Damn it.

Damn it!

Saeran couldn’t kill him…

Why? Why in the world…!?

Saeyoung gasped for air, but looked straight at him.

“You idiot! Tell me!” Saeran yelled. Why couldn’t he kill Saeyoung? Mi-Yeon?! Why couldn’t he kill either of them!?

“Saeran, you… You… are another me. We are connected, since birth. You and I. You and our soul mates. You know it, too… You can’t really kill me.”

“No…” Saeran grumbled. That’s not what he wanted to hear. Do something, anything that would make him hate his brother enough to kill him. “…I hate you more than anyone in this world. I hate you the most…!”

Saeran’s mind was turning white in a whirlwind of confusion.

Connected?

Saeyoung didn’t even know how arduous and painful it was for him!

“Saeran…”

“How could you do it?” Saeran whimpered. Saeyoung always talked as if he would protect Saeran forever. “How could you leave me… and just go…! You left me all alone… in that dark and lonely place… You… You wanted to live with me…”

Saeyoung should have kept his promise.

Saeran continued to verbalize his agony. “You said we’d be happy together! You told me that over and over again…!”

Was it all just a lie?

“You said we’d get out of there and be happy, you said you’d try hard… you said I should have hope and wait… I… I thought… you died and wouldn’t come back…!”

He… was so sad, back then.

“I wanted to die, you know that…?” Even if their mother tortured him, he waited for his brother. It was so painful – as if half of him was being torn apart.

“Brot-“

“I don’t know anymore.” Saeran interrupted. “I don’t know… how to hate you… I don’t know how to trust someone again… How am I supposed to live now? I want someone to tell me. I want someone to tell me who can save me when I have all of this pain! Tell me… you said I’m another you, that we are connected. So tell me…!”

Don’t betray him again.

“…I’m sorry.” Saeyoung replied softly.

“Is that all you can say?!” Saeran yelled.

Don’t hurt him again.

Saeyoung reached forward, wrapping his arms around his brother tightly.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry… Do whatever you want now.” Saeyoung mumbled into Saeran’s shoulder.

Could he really?

“It’s too late… you idiot…!” Saeran jeered.

“No. Don’t think that.”

“Don’t say that so easily because it’s not your life… Look at all the time I’ve lost.”

From now on… could he do it?

“You’ll know if you run fast. The time given to us is only a fantasy. Time is… only a relative thing we create. Nothing is too late… Life goes on if you don’t give up. It keeps giving you chances.”

“…Don’t say it as if it’s so easy.”

Saeyoung could never understand… the pain he went through.

But…

“Thank you for forgiving me. I’ll be good from now on.” Saeyoung said in relief.

“I haven’t forgiven you.”

“You can’t kill me.”

“Damn it…”

Saeyoung could say that the pain and the fears Saeran had… was all just a fantasy. Saeyoung… was not like him. Saeyoung was such a positive person. Something he hated and admired about his brother.

“Let’s go back to how we were, Saeran. As far as we’ve gone… the happiness we can have now will shine brighter.” Saeyoung said with conviction.

Saeran relaxed his body only slightly, never returning the hug.

Maybe he’d give Saeyoung the benefit of the doubt and believe half of what his brother said.

Don’t betray him.

Don’t hurt him.

Never again.


	42. The Difference In Relationships

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day Thirty-One
> 
> “The wounded ones have to recover. And the ones left have to go on with their lives.”

We were here again.

C&R International.

This time, however, Jumin called us directly to his office. For the moment, it was just Jumin, Yoosung, and I inside the room. Jaehee sat outside at her desk waiting for the others to arrive.

Jumin was concentrating on a couple documents at his own desk, while I sat on the couch, and Yoosung stood nervously near a shelf, looking at all of the objects on it. I crossed my legs and stared blankly out at the city below. Absently, my thumb and middle finger were holding my phone as I twirled it. Yoosung and I haven’t said a word to each other since the last meeting. He hasn’t forgiven me, nor was I looking for mercy. I was the one who lashed out at him in the first place. I just hoped he could live his life peacefully from now on, with or without me.

But as of right now… things were awkward.

Jumin didn’t even seem to notice as he worked tirelessly.

Maybe I should say something. I was at fault, after all.

I sighed softly. The noise was probably no more than a normal exhalation, but Yoosung turned his head to stare directly at me. I paused in surprise.

Um…?

I opted to say, “Was that loud? Sorry.”

“Ah, no!” Yoosung gasped in a fluster. His cheeks turned bright red. The two of us then turned to Jumin as we felt his stare. The businessman was raising a questioning eyebrow at the blonde.

“Are you bored? I apologize. This was only meant to be a fairly quick discussion, but it seems the others are running late.” Jumin said, putting down his diamond embedded pen.

“No, this is sufficient entertainment.” I replied, holding my phone still and waving it a bit. “I was just thinking of something.”

The two of us turned to Yoosung.

“Um… I was just…” Yoosung stuttered, the blush remaining on his cheeks. I tilted my head curiously.

“You were just ‘checking out’ Mi-Yeon since she came into the office.” Jumin finished for the young boy.

“That’s not it!” The blonde refuted. He flitted his eyes to me briefly before staring at the shelf again.

“Well, there is something I’d like to check out from you, Mi-Yeon.” Jumin added. “May I see your cell phone?”

“My phone?” I repeated, standing up from my seat. I walked up to the front of his desk and held out the device in question.

Jumin took it from me and flipped it over to the back. He stared at the white case covering my phone and rubbed a thumb across the symbol printed in the middle.

I blinked in confusion. Yoosung came over and watched curiously. He turned his eyes to me, silently asking what Jumin was doing. I shrugged slightly.

“I see.” Jumin concluded, handing back my phone.

“You do?” Yoosung asked incredulously. “It’s not weird for her to have a case like that.”

“So you recognize the emblem, Yoosung?” Jumin asked.

“Err…” The younger boy scratched his cheek sheepishly. “Since meeting her and knowing she’s our soul mate, I’ve been looking up all of YeonYeon’s stuff. I guess I just remember the logo now.”

Oh. That was… really sweet of him.

“Thank you.” I said sincerely. “You didn’t need to do something like that.”

“At first I was just wondering what Seven… um… Saeyoung was talking about, but I ended up liking it for real.” Yoosung explained with a slight flush. “Since you’re, well, you, I thought I should support you.”

“As what soul mates should do for each other.” Jumin commented.

Support each other, huh?

The large doors opened at that moment to reveal Zen and Jaehee.

“Saeyoung will be joining us through a phone call. He says he has to stay home to take care of his brother.” Jaehee informed.

Jumin exhaled tiredly, “I do not agree with discharging Saeran from the hospital.”

“He’s out?” Zen asked, patting Yoosung and I on the head in greeting.

Just because he was older…

“Is he all right now?” Yoosung added.

“I’m no professional, so I can’t say…” Jaehee trailed off, looking at her boss for back up.

“He should be under observation.” Jumin concluded firmly, but his body language spoke differently. He leaned back in his chair, relaxing. “I give up with those boys. They can make their own decisions.”

After a moment, Yoosung grumpily said, “Are we waiting for V again?”

“V is joining us later. He has an appointment with the ophthalmologist at the moment.” Jumin answered. “This time slot was most optimal for Mi-Yeon’s schedule.”

“I’m sorry.” I apologized. I did have a long meeting later today.

“Think nothing of it.” Jumin waved off. “Let’s get started then. Everyone, have a seat.”

“Then I will call Saeyoung.” Jaehee announced, taking out her phone.

I walked to sit in my original spot on the couch. Zen sat on the other side, leaving the middle spot for Jaehee. Yoosung sat on the arm of the couch beside me.

_“Hello?”_ Seven’s voice rang out from the phone.

“Saeyoung, hello. How are you and Saeran?” Jaehee asked politely.

_“Ah, good. Yeah, good.”_ He chuckled. _“What kind of special meeting is this now? Are we going to talk about who gets to marry who?”_

The five of us stayed quiet, not knowing how to respond.

“Back to your old self, I see.” Jumin said. “We are going to discuss what we’re going to do with Rika.”

I saw Yoosung stiffen next to me.

“What we’re going to do with her?” Yoosung swallowed thickly.

“For V, I’m sure he doesn’t want to see his soul mate go to jail, but even he realizes that what she has done is a criminal act.” Jumin informed, folding his hands on his desk. “I would like to hear all of your thoughts.”

There was a lull in the atmosphere. Crossing my legs again, I folded my arms on top of my lap. Slowly, I swept my eyes around the room. I didn’t care what happened to Rika. She founded the organization I was now a part of. She was the soul mate of our leader. She drugged my soul mate. I had no personal feelings for her. As long as she didn’t hurt Saeran and the others ever again, I didn’t care what happened to her.

“A director friend of mine had a friend who was autistic when they were young, and apparently, a lot of their symptoms disappeared after going to this natural therapy program in Alaska.” Zen piped up.

“Why did you bring that up?” Jaehee asked.

“Well, with Rika… the way she is now, even if we lock her up somewhere, is she even going to realize what’s going on?” Zen replied.

“Yeah!” Yoosung hurriedly agreed. “We have to think of Rika’s mental health first.”

_“Natural therapy? What exactly is that?”_ Seven questioned.

“You’d have a better feel of this place if you heard them talk. The basic concept is you go to multiple places surrounded by nature and fresh air to heal yourself. Apparently, a lot of people go there when medication doesn’t work.” Zen explained.

Heal yourself, I thought to myself. I stared at my nail polish.

I understood that well.

“Zen, you actually believe this?” Jumin inquired.

“I can’t really say.” The actor replied slowly. “It’s a legitimate program, so I thought it could be an option.”

“Alaska is… too far. And moving around places? Then how will I know where Rika is all the time?” Yoosung asked in a small voice. “But I’ve been taking care of her well. I know that Rika will come back. We can’t just…”

“It’s good that you’re taking care of her, but shouldn’t we leave this to the experts?” Jaehee suggested. “What about school? Is taking a leave of absence the best choice for you?”

“I can study hard and become an expert myself.” Yoosung argued. “I’ll take care of my own life.”

“You’re young. You think everything is easy… God… I admire how much you care for Rika, but you can’t make decisions based on your feelings.” Zen sighed.

“What we’re doing right now is harboring a criminal.” Jumin interrupted.

“But… she needs help.” Yoosung whispered. “I’m… not saying what she did wasn’t wrong… I understand that. But V won’t help! Aren’t they soul mates? He should go see her! She’s mourning him!”

“The wounded ones have to recover, Yoosung.” Zen placated. “And the ones left have to go on with their lives.”

“I just want to help Rika.” The blonde bit his lip, suddenly turning to me. “Mi-Yeon, why don’t you visit her?”

I gave him a bewildered look. “I… don’t think she likes me.”

I brought down her Paradise, after all.

“You’ve been rather quiet. Do you have any opinions on the matter?” Jumin asked.

I turned my eyes away uncomfortably and kept my lips firmly shut. My opinions wouldn’t help the situation. If anything, I felt like they would rile Yoosung up more.

“Mi-Yeon?” Jaehee called out worriedly.

“Whatever you want to say, we won’t get mad. Right, guys?” Zen reassured.

I felt Jumin’s careful evaluation of me.

“I understand.” Jumin said while nodding.

He did? I looked up at him.

“You… can understand… silence?” Yoosung questioned skeptically.

“I’m quite good at reading people, as well.” Jumin said, smiling. “I’ve also had quite the… enlightening conversation about you, Mi-Yeon.”

I tilted my head. What was he talking about?

“Mr. Han?” Jaehee asked like the businessman had lost his mind.

“You do not care what happens to Rika.” Jumin stated. “This situation for you is like watching a stranger get arrested on the news. Whether they are guilty or innocent won’t faze you.”

He… wasn’t wrong, but… why was he trying so hard to understand me?

“That’s… That’s not true! Right, Mi-Yeon? Rika is so important to us. Right? Don’t you think so?” Yoosung asked desperately, hopping down from his seat on the arm of the couch and facing me.

I licked my lips uneasily. “I’ve never, exactly, gotten to know her.”

“You can start now. She… was such a great person.” Yoosung trailed off, the information thrust upon him the last few days probably racing through his mind.

His awe and love for his cousin was, like Zen said, admirable. However… “Perhaps… you’re too attached?”

“Then you’re too detached!” Yoosung argued. His face instantly turned red. “S-Sorry. That… just came out…”

I didn’t let his words get to me. I already knew he would react like this. “I don’t get attached to people I don’t need to be.”

Yoosung clenched his fists tightly.

Jumin interrupted before the two of us could exchange more words. “We may be soul mates, but we are individual people. We come from different places, grew up in different environments, with different people coming in and out of our lives. It is inevitable that there is a difference in relationship in regards to a mutual person.”

“Then… Then, as soul mates, shouldn’t the person important to me be important to you guys?”

“How lucky; to be able to believe in such picture-perfect views.” I muttered under my breath without realizing that the sentence left my lips. I quickly sealed my lips and turned away.

“…What?” Yoosung whispered breathily, tears gathering in his eyes.

“It’s not like I can say I like the person who locked me up and tried to force drugs into my body.” I said instead, looking straight into his pretty amethyst eyes.

“You went there on your own.” Yoosung said, picking up his courage bit by bit. “You said you went there to get Saeran. Are you saying he’s more important to you? You just met him too.”

“Yes, Saeran is more important to me.” I countered.

“Yoosung, why don’t you try putting yourself in her shoes?” Zen suggested gently.

“I’m sure Mi-Yeon’s impression of Rika is… not as favorable as yours.” Jaehee added. “Being able to remain neutral towards Rika is already a lot to ask.”

Jumin cleared his throat, “Since the matter seems to have no significant impact on you, I am sorry to have wasted your time. Mi-Yeon, you may leave. I hope your work is not too taxing tonight.”

“Very well.” I replied, standing up, relieved to be out of the situation. I bowed lightly with my head. “Thank you, you as well.”

“Wait, Mi-Yeon.” Yoosung called quickly, looking downcast. “I…”

Yoosung’s voice was cut off by Jumin’s phone ringing.

The businessman let out a frustrated sigh and answered his phone after checking the caller. “I thought I instructed you not to bother me while I am in a meeting.” He listened carefully, his facial features slowly morphing into a more serious expression. “…The investigation files disappeared?”

_“BOOM! Hahaha~”_

I turned to the voice.

“Until further notice, stop everything. I’ll deal with it.” Jumin said, ending the call. “Saeyoung, you wouldn’t have anything to do with the Mint Eye investigation files disappearing, would you?”

_“I read the whole thing.”_

“You hacked in!?” Yoosung gulped.

“It… seems so…” Zen whispered slowly.

_“There were too many holes, so… I just blew it up.”_ Seven said cheekily.

“Excuse me…!?” Jaehee gasped, gripping her phone tightly and holding it up to eye level. “No way…”

I felt my jaw drop.

“You deleted it because Saeran may be involved?” Jumin asked knowingly.

“What in the world was in that investigation file?” Yoosung questioned.

“Secret.” Jumin said with a hint of finality.

Yoosung tried a different approach, “What did it say about Rika?”

_“Secret number two.”_ Seven replied in a much more amused voice than Jumin’s.

I couldn’t help it. My shoulders started shaking slightly. I bit my lip. Unwillingly, my cheek muscles started lifting.

“Are you laughing?” Zen asked me softly.

I turned my back to them, covering my mouth with my hand. I shook my head back and forth.

“Mi-Yeon worked hard for that information.” Jumin tried to sound stern, however let out a big breath as he watched me. “Forget it.”

I couldn’t contain my amusement any more and let out giggle after giggle. As expected of Seven. He’d do anything for his brother.

“You risked your life for this… are you sure it’s okay?” Zen asked incredulously.

I twirled back around to face them, sure that my face still glowed with laughter. “What does it matter to me? Our soul mate is safe and recovering. That’s all I ever wanted.”

“Yeah…” Yoosung said softly, a small smile on his lips. “Haha, yeah! That’s all that matters.” His grin grew bigger.


	43. Let's Get Along From Now On

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day Thirty-Three
> 
> “Just make sure you only depend on people you can count on.”

 

_“You and Yoosung are getting into a lot of spats, lately.”_

“We just… have different views of the world. There’s nothing I can do about that.” I trailed off, keeping my cell phone between my ear and my shoulder. I had my legs crossed so my journal was positioned higher as I wrote in it. I hummed the tune I was composing softly.

_“Babe, I’m worried about you two. Are you listening?”_

“I’m listening.” I reassured, jotting down the next note. “Maybe Yoosung and I just don’t get along. You don’t have to mother us, Zen.”

The musical actor growled lightly. _“I care about you both. Not just because we’re soul mates. But as soul mates, we should at least be friendly.”_

“Soul mates fail.” I replied automatically, still repeating the tune in my head. I quickly scratched out the note I just wrote down and scribbled a different one. Zen was silent for a long moment. A gentle breeze wisped a lock of my hair into my vision. I paused to tuck it behind my ear. “Sorry. I know… you probably don’t want to hear that.”

 _“No. I get it. You saw if first hand.”_ He let out a sad sigh. _“But… it’s not impossible. Soul mates fail, but they’re still soul mates. There’s a connection there. Each person just has to heal and find it again. It might take a long time, but… it’s not impossible.”_

“That’s… a nice thought.” I absently tapped my pen against the page. “I guess… Saeran and I are amiable now…”

_“You and Saeran? What does he have to do with anything?”_

My fingers froze, nearly dropping my pen onto the concrete ground. I guess Zen, Yoosung, and Jaehee still didn’t know. It hasn’t, exactly, been a subject we’ve had time to discuss. Nor has Saeran been well enough to formally initiate the bond.

“He… Please, ask Seven.”

_“What are you hiding this time? Mi-Yeon, you know we’ll stay by your side, no matter what. Please, don’t do this again.”_

Words were flimsy. Unreliable. “It’s not that. It’s just… Saeran is still ill. Seven is the one taking care of his brother, so he’ll know better than me when the time is right.”

 _“I’ll take your word for it, then, hon’.”_ He paused. _“Actually… you did say something strange at the jerk’s office… I was probably just hearing you wrong, though.”_

I felt my cheeks blush at the nickname. “At Jumin’s office?” I took a couple seconds to search through my memory, steadily feeling panic rise. I quickly checked my watch for the time. “Ah, I have to get to class.”

_“All right. Before I wish you luck, can you consider something for me?”_

“What is it?” I questioned, closing my journal and packing it away in my backpack. I stood up from the bench I sat on in my school’s courtyard.

_“Rika is getting sent to Alaska tomorrow. Yoosung is acting brave by helping her prepare for the trip, but he’s having a hard time. I know you aren’t Rika’s biggest fan, and for good reason, but can you go there to get him back on his feet? The rest of us have tried our way and nothing is getting through to him. And you’ve always been such an angel.”_

“…I don’t need flattery.” I grumbled.

Zen chuckled. _“I only speak the truth. Please, babe?”_

“If I find out he has worse attendance than me, then he’s a lost cause.” I reluctantly agreed.

_“We can always count on you.”_

So, as promised, after I attended my classes, I made my way through the public transportation system and walked to Rika’s apartment. The nightly food market wasn’t nearly as popular in the daytime. Adjusting my anti-dust mask, I turned away and looked ahead towards the familiar building.

Even though I knew the passcode to the door, I opted to use the doorbell. Yoosung’s voice from inside was muffled by the door in between us. Before the door was completely open, he voiced his question. “Hello? Oh…!”

“Hi.” I replied steadily.

“I… thought I felt a mark warm up, but…”

“You were busy with Rika.” I said knowingly.

Yoosung looked away, biting the corner of his bottom lip. “If you’re here to tell me I’m obsessed, too, you can just leave. The others put you up to this, didn’t they? You said so yourself, Rika… probably doesn’t like you. So why would you come here if not for them?”

“Zen.” I answered truthfully with a shrug.

“I’m sorry, for some of the stuff I said to you. I admit that. But I don’t need a lecture from you.”

“You’re not getting a lecture from you professors, either.”

“This is about me taking a leave of absence, right? I just want to help Rika.”

“That’s fine and all, but you’re a scholarship student with a poorer attendance record than a full-time singer.” I scolded lightly.

“That’s why I’m taking a leave of absence.” He argued.

Calmly, I asked, “And when will you grow into your own person? Everything you’ve done in your life has been because of Rika. You did well in school because she said so. You went to college because she suggested it.”

“And I’m not going because she needs someone to look after her!”

“It doesn’t have to be you.”

“I… know that.” Yoosung exhaled. “But if not me, then who? I don’t trust some random worker to do it.”

“It’s not just some random person on the street, and you know it. They’ll be qualified. Besides, she’s going to Alaska tomorrow, isn’t she? She’ll be surrounded by educated personnel.” He didn’t answer right away. “Yoosung?”

“I’m sure her parents don’t even know what’s happened to her…”

I paused, raising an eyebrow questioningly. “Shouldn’t they be informed that their daughter is getting sent to another country?”

“After I started college, my mom said that Rika was adopted because my aunt and uncle couldn’t have children.” He took a breath. “But… my aunt and uncle weren’t the happiest people. I don’t know the details, but apparently when Rika was growing up, my aunt told my mom she kind of regrets adopting her…”

“That’s so…” I bit my tongue to stop any vulgar insults from spilling out. “Irresponsible.”

“Well, that’s kind of how they are…”

That wasn’t an excuse. I clenched my fists tightly behind my back. Seo-Yeon came to mind and I felt tears prickling in my eyes. Luckily for my dearest friend, her adopted family loved her very much.

“She’s my aunt, but I don’t talk to her.” Yoosung continued. “That’s why I rarely met Rika when I was little. I had to do some volunteering work for school and my mom told me that Rika did something like that. That’s when I got to know her and became close.”

“She grew up in a broken home, huh?” I whispered.

“Yeah… I was too little to know, but I think that’s true. And maybe that’s why she loved V so much…”

“He’s trying, Yoosung.” I comforted. “V was hurt, too, and not just physically.”

“I… know…”

“You don’t need to blame anyone. Not V, not Rika. Just let yourself be free.” I looked into his eyes, silently pleading.

“Is… Is this really the only option we have?”

“Time goes forward no matter what. For you and for her. If she can heal through this, shouldn’t you give it a chance? And we can’t harbor a criminal without repercussions if we don’t make them disappear for a little while.”

“…I… Understand.”

“Do you?” I asked firmly. “Are you just saying that because you know that’s what I want to hear?”

“Then what am I supposed to do?!” Yoosung growled, putting his hands on my shoulders to emphasize his point. His eyes suddenly filled to the brim with liquid. He leaned his head down, resting his forehead on my shoulder. “What… am I supposed to do now?”

I slowly placed my hand on his side. “It’s good that you love her, and that she’s a priority for you. But another person can’t tell you how to live your life. How would they know what made you happy and fulfilled?” Yoosung’s shoulders started to shake. “It wasn’t my intention to come here and make you go back to school. Your aspirations and motivations are your own. If you want to become a veterinarian because Rika inspired you to, then do so. If you decide that you need time to rest and clear your thoughts, that’s fine, too.”

He drew in a choked breath.

“You can’t expect someone to tell you what to do forever. Make your life your own. The rest of us will be right by your side, no matter how many times we have to pick you back up. You don’t need to be scared.” I whispered into his ear. “…But…”

“But what?” Yoosung whimpered, hiccupping. His breath brushed against my collarbone.

“Maybe I’m wrong.” I said slowly.

This was why the more we knew about each other; the more we didn’t get along.

“About?” Yoosung leaned away, rubbing his eyes and sniffling. “I think you’re right… I… shouldn’t depend on Rika so much. Sorry for being such a crybaby. I’ll be manlier from now on. You can start to depend on me, I promise.”

I hummed, questioning myself. He called my name worriedly.

“You’re pretty fortunate, you know.” I reached my hand up and rubbed my thumb across his cheek to clear away any tear tracks.

“Why is that?”

Perhaps I was jealous. Jealous that Rika got to have him. That she, who was not our soul mate, got to control him. However, that was pretty terrible of me to think. Yoosung shouldn’t be controlled.

“Maybe you should bask in being dependent. It seems like such a gift to have.”

“Gift?” Yoosung questioned in confusion.

I’ve never been able to experience dependency. Thus, I didn’t understand the notion. There was no choice for me. It was either be independent and make my own decisions or have my life be at a standstill.

There… was no choice for the rest of us. Not for Jumin, who was expected to be a business mogul. Not for Jaehee, who lost her family and had to find her own way to fit into society. Not for Zen, whose family didn’t support his dreams. Not for Seven and Saeran, either.

I suddenly felt a relieved giggle bubble up as I cupped Yoosung’s cheeks. “How lucky our youngest is.”

“Eh?! Wh-What’s with this all of a sudden?” He stuttered. The soft skin under my hands was warming up.

“It’s nothing.” I dispelled, smiling gently. “Just make sure you only depend on people you can count on.”

While I was pulling my hands away, Yoosung gently grabbed my wrists, keeping my palms against his cheeks. I tilted my head curiously, feeling his skin heat up hotter.

“You’re smarter than me. You understand me better than I understand you.” He said seriously. “I’ll do my best, so, Mi-Yeon…”

“Hmm?”

“Let’s get along from now on.” Yoosung said firmly. “I… I hate it when we fight. I hate it when everyone isn’t on good terms with each other.”

“That’s a little hypocritical coming from you, don’t you think?” I asked in amusement. “But I suppose that’s your charming point. You care a lot about the people you’re close to.”

“Well… V isn’t… um…” He swallowed nervously.

“He’s still your friend, isn’t he?” I said rhetorically, finally able to drop my hands. “We’ve been through a lot. Maybe it’ll make us stronger.” I shrugged.

“Yeah…” Yoosung sighed, suddenly tired. He mumbled a quick apology. Before I could react, he pulled me into his body, his arms gently circling my shoulders. “Yeah, we’re invincible now.”

I blinked in confusion, unsure if I should reciprocate the gesture.

The last crest on my back pulsed with a pleasant warmth.

“Everything about you is so calm…” He whispered to himself. “You smell nice.”

“Don’t say such strange things.” I huffed softly. “We’re still in the middle of the hallway.”

Yoosung let me go with a sudden, embarrassed movement. He rubbed the back of his head. “Err… Come in?”

“Mhmm,” I rolled my eyes playfully. “In any case, I probably shouldn’t. Like I said, I came because Zen told me to ‘talk some sense into you.’”

“Rika is leaving tomorrow.” Yoosung pleaded. “Just… please? Maybe it’ll help.”

“Or I might make it worse.” I sighed, reluctant to see the woman. He pouted like a sad puppy, and for some reason, my heart lurched uncomfortably. “Only for a minute…”

He smiled brightly and called out, “Rika~ Someone came to visit you.”

We walked through the familiar hallway and into the living room. Rika was sitting down, directly in front of the window, and staring out into the vast sky.

…Now what was I supposed to say? Hello, remember who I am? I was the one who helped destroy your carefully planned cult.

“How are you, Rika?” I said instead, plastering a smile on my face.

“Rika… Rika, say something.” Yoosung begged, going to her side. I followed him closely. She turned to smile at him, ignoring me. “Don’t just smile like that. You used to have so much that you wanted to do. Now all you do is stare at the sun… Is it fun for you?”

Rika remained silent.

“The sun?” I mumbled, peering out the window. V’s muse was the sun. Perhaps she thought his soul rested there after their painful farewells.

“Can’t you say something…? Just a word? Mi-Yeon came all the way here to see you.” Yoosung continued. “Is there really nothing you want to say? Rika… please… anything.”

I turned my attention back to them as my soul mate’s pitifully sad voice rang in my ears. “Yoosung, she-“

“Please say my name then.” He cut me off. “I just want to know… that you’re still there. You’re back now… and you can’t do anything. I’m angry and sad… Please, show me a miracle.”

“…ne…” Rika croaked out, her smile blinding.

“Rika?” Yoosung called hopefully.

“I’m… fine…” She said, her voice scratchy due to not being used in a while.

“Rika…!” He gasped in relief.

“Sun… is there, I… I’m ha…ppy.”

“You’re happy because of the sun?” Yoosung asked. “Rika… Rika… say more. God… this is like a dream. I can’t believe you’re talking…!” He looked at me with happiness swimming in his eyes, but he couldn’t take his attention off of her for long. “Rika… you really are… getting better, right?”

The pleasant warmth I felt back in the doorway vanished. It was rapidly replaced by a bitter sentiment. I turned to observe the pair, suddenly feeling uneasy for more than that single reason.

Rika’s eyes were murky, like she was crossing over to the world she ruled. To Mint Eye.

“Le…ave.” She whispered.

“What…?” Yoosung asked.

“You… leave…” Rika said, her voice getting stronger.

“Ri-Rika…?”

“Fly… like… t…the bird.”

“Rika…” He repeated. She smiled at him. “Rika… Rika, say something more.” She didn’t. “Rika… Please say something more. Please… You want me to leave? You want me to fly away like a bird? Am I doing the right thing by sending you away? Is that really all you want to say…? God… Please give me more clues…!” He nearly yelled.

“Yoosung,” I interrupted, grabbing his shoulder and pulling him away. “I’m thirsty. Can you show me where you keep the glasses?”

“Wh-What? But Rika-“

“Shouldn’t you take care of your guests?” I asked, leaving no room for retorts. I turned his shoulders and pushed him towards the kitchen.

“Mi-Yeon? Why?” He looked like he was about to cry again.

“Because she’s not stable. If you keep pushing her, who knows what she’ll do?” I said in a low voice so it didn’t carry over to the woman in the other room.

“What? But she’s fine… she just said-“

“To leave and fly away like a bird.” I echoed the words. “Whatever that means. Let’s call Jumin.”

“…Why?”

“Because he can actually help us.” I sighed, sensing his unwillingness. “She talked, and that’s great, but leaving you alone with her now isn’t safe for either of you.” Yoosung clenched his fists tightly. “Please, Yoosung. Understand that she’s mentally unstable. I don’t care if she hates me or likes me, and I’m not saying this because I’m against her.”

“What makes you say she’s… going to do something?” He asked slowly.

“She has the same look in her eyes like when she ordered Saeran around.” I replied. “And when she happily distributed her salvation drug.” I let the information sink in. “You said we should get along, so as someone who saw it first hand and who is at least your friend, let me warn you.”

Yoosung hesitated for a moment. “Okay. I trust you. From now on, we’ll do better for each other, right?”

“Right.” I agreed softly, grabbing my phone from my pocket.


	44. This Messenger

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day Thirty-Five
> 
> Mi-Yeon has entered the chat room.  
> Unknown has entered the chat room.

 

_Mi-Yeon has entered the chatroom_

**Yoosung:** sigh…

**Jaehee Kang:** How many times have I said not to type your action in the chat?

**ZEN:** Did you just get back from the airport, Yoosung?

**Yoosung:** I hope Rika will be okay with that security guard escorting her to Alaska…

**Yoosung:** It’s a long trip…

**Yoosung:** Maybe I should’ve been the one to go with her…

**Jaehee Kang:** C&R selects only the highest qualified security guards.

**Jaehee Kang:** She’s fine.

**ZEN:** Oh, Mi-Yeon, you’re here.

**Mi-Yeon:** Hello.

**Jaehee Kang:** It has been a long time since I saw you in the chat room last.

**Mi-Yeon:** Sorry, I’ll be more proactive.

**Mi-Yeon: …**??

**ZEN:** What’s wrong?

**Mi-Yeon:** My username changed.

**Yoosung:** It did!

**Yoosung:** (〇o〇；)

**Jaehee Kang:** If it was not you who did it, I’m sure it can only be Saeyoung.

**Yoosung:** At least it’s not something strange.

**Yoosung:** (^～^;)ゞ

**ZEN:** Don’t type that here!

**Yoosung:** What…?

**Mi-Yeon:** You’ll give him ideas, is probably what Zen means ^^;

**Yoosung:** Oh…

**Yoosung:** (〇o〇；)

**Jaehee Kang:** I see Saeyoung has yet to put in the message deletion I requested…

**ZEN:** (ﾟヘﾟ)？

**Mi-Yeon:** Ah~ About

**Mi-Yeon:** Your

**Mi-Yeon:** I

**Mi-Yeon:** N

**Mi-Yeon:** N

**Mi-Yeon:** O

**Mi-Yeon:** C

**Jaehee Kang:** ofiwej

**Jaehee Kang:** fuehefgr45e

**Jaehee Kang:** nfyegjevb

**Jaehee Kang:** yctrixychifx

**Jaehee Kang:** dqwvevme

**Jaehee Kang:** oof87qy008e

**Jaehee Kang:** (´-﹏-`；)

**Jaehee Kang:** (*ﾟﾛﾟ)

**Jaehee Kang:** o(^◇^)o

**Yoosung:** Whoa

**Yoosung:** (〇o〇；)

**ZEN:** Innoc…?

**Jaehee Kang:** INNOCUOUS PLANT!

**ZEN:** Erm… what?

**Mi-Yeon:** ^^

**Yoosung:** ｢(ﾟﾍﾟ)

**Jaehee Kang:** …

**Jaehee Kang:** …A coworker gifted me a small plant to keep at my desk…

**Jaehee Kang:** My new innocuous plant.

**ZEN:** What did that have to do with deleting a message?

**Jaehee Kang:** There was a typo in the text.

**Yoosung:** …

**Jaehee Kang:** Mi-Yeon… I can’t see you, but stop with the grin.          

**Mi-Yeon:** Hmm? ^^

_Jumin Han has entered the chatroom_

**ZEN:** …I… I think I can see it too…

**Yoosung:** Anyways… Jumin! Are you sure that guard you sent with Rika is trustworthy?

**Jumin Han:** Quite.

**Yoosung:** …

**Yoosung:** sigh…

**Jumin Han:** Innocuous plant?

**Jumin Han:** I did not see a plant on your desk, Assistant Kang.

**Jumin Han:** I’m sure the color would have caught my eye through all the papers.

**Jaehee Kang:** It died.

**Jumin Han:** That is unfortunate. Your friendship must be over.

**ZEN:** What the hell are you talking about, trust fund kid?

**Jumin Han:** Have you not heard the saying?

**Mi-Yeon:** When a plant is given as a gift

**Jumin Han:** Your friendship dies when the plant dies.

**Yoosung:** …

**Jaehee Kang:** You made that up, sir… Mi-Yeon…

**Jumin Han:** 」(￣▽￣」)

**ZEN:** Mi-Yeon… you don’t… actually think this is funny, do you?

**Mi-Yeon:** (*^∇^*)

**Yoosung:** (^～^;)ゞ

**Yoosung:** I guess everything is back to normal.

_707 has entered the chatroom_

**ZEN:** Saeyoung!

**ZEN:** What’s up!?!

**707:** Lolol what happened here?

**Jaehee Kang:** Please do not ask.

**Jaehee Kang:** …

**Jaehee Kang:** Don’t scroll up either!

**707:** “I do not really understand what made you say that, but as someone who’s had a considerable amount of life experiences, I cannot say that I have never been in a relationship and I am not an innocent girl who has no experience whatsoever.”

**707:** You mean this?

**Jaehee Kang:** (´-﹏-`；)

**Jaehee Kang:** (´-﹏-`；)

**Jaehee Kang:** (´-﹏-`；)

**Jaehee Kang:** (´-﹏-`；)

**Jaehee Kang:** (´-﹏-`；)

**Jaehee Kang:** (´-﹏-`；)

**ZEN:** …

**Jumin Han:** …

**Yoosung:** (〇o〇；)

**Mi-Yeon:** …I think I should apologize…

**707:** Ｏ(≧∇≦)Ｏ

**ZEN:** It’s not polite to pry into a lady’s personal life.

**707:** Pry? Me? Never~

**707:** (＝⌒▽⌒＝)

**Jaehee Kang:** How’s Saeran, Saeyoung?

**707:** Oooh, I feel a terrible vibe coming from the chat room~~~

**Yoosung:** Saeyoung…

**Yoosung:** (^～^;)ゞ

**Yoosung:** You know it’s your fault, right?

**707:** ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯

**Jaehee Kang:** （｀Δ´）！

**Mi-Yeon:** So…

**Mi-Yeon:** About Saeran? ^^;

**Jumin Han:** I still believe he should stay in the hospital for observation.

**707:** He’s good.

**707:** Fine~

**707:** He went out for some air.

**707:** Don’t worry!

**Mi-Yeon:** …The more you type, the more worried we’ll become ^^;;

**Jumin Han:** Is that wise?

**707:** Totally!

_Unknown has entered the chatroom_

**Yoosung:** (〇o〇；)

**Yoosung:** Aaargh!!

**Unknown:** …

**Unknown:** …This is my username?

**707:** I’ll change it later.

**707:** I was busy hacking into Mi-Yeon’s phone yesterday T_T

**ZEN:** ( ﾟoﾟ)

**Jumin Han:**?

**Jaehee Kang:** Saeran??

**Mi-Yeon:** …

**Mi-Yeon:** Is that why I only had 2% battery when I woke up this morning…?

**Unknown:** …

**707:** You gave her a version of the app that hasn’t seen the light of day in two years!

**707:** (╥_╥)

**707:** I had to go in there, unravel all of the code and put it back together!

**707:** Especially after all of the damage we did trying to take control over it…

**707:** (╥_╥)

**Unknown:** …

**Unknown:** Sloth.

_Unknown has left the chatroom_

**707:** Uhm.

**707:** Saeran!! Are you mad?

_707 has left the chatroom_

**Yoosung:** What;;; What?

**Jaehee Kang:** That was… Saeran, right?

**Jumin Han:** I think so.

_707 has entered the chatroom_

**707:** Phew~

**707:** (＝⌒▽⌒＝)

**707:** Gave him a call and I’m happy to report~~~

**707:** He is unimpressed!

**Yoosung:** …

**ZEN:** …

**Jaehee Kang:** …

**Jumin Han:** …

**Jumin Han:** You should at least apologize to Mi-Yeon.

**Mi-Yeon:** I would’ve kept it charging if I knew…

**Mi-Yeon:** T_T

**707:** Sorry!

**707:** (╥_╥)

**707:** I remembered while I was in the shower~

**Yoosung:** Does that mean you’re going to do that to ours too?

**ZEN:** You must have done a lot of damage to it for Mi-Yeon’s phone to be left on 2%.

**707:** Ah nope.

**707:** Don’t need you guys’.

**ZEN:** …Why do I suddenly feel rejected?

**Yoosung:** ‧º·(˚ ˃̣̣̥⌓˂̣̣̥ )‧º·˚

**707:** It was only dead because I kept restarting it to check if it had full functionality.

**707:** Her version is a copy, after all.

**707:** The codes were different from our updated version since the beginning.

**707:** ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯

**Jaehee Kang:** Why was only Mi-Yeon’s effected by your tug of war?

**707:** When we traced each other, we had to go through Mi-Yeon’s phone.

**707:** Ｏ(≧∇≦)Ｏ

**707:** Sometimes it was even easier to attack each other by passing through Mi-Yeon.

**707:** Ｏ(≧∇≦)Ｏ

**Jumin Han:** Because you were both connected to her RFA app. I see.

**Mi-Yeon:** RIP phone…

**Mi-Yeon:** o(╥﹏╥)o

**Jumin Han:** I will replace it if it is no longer useable.

**707:** **（＊〇□〇）……！**

**707:** You don’t trust me?!

**707:** It actually runs even better now!

**Mi-Yeon:** Haven’t noticed.

**707:** **（＊〇□〇）……！**

**Yoosung:** (^～^;)ゞ

**ZEN:** I don’t think I would notice either. It only needs to work.

**707:** You mean that only your camera needs to work.

**Yoosung:** Probably.

**Mi-Yeon:** ^^;

**Jaehee Kang:** It would be a tragedy to the fan club if that were to break.

**Jaehee Kang:** (*ﾟﾛﾟ)

**Jumin Han:** Then why own a phone? You will save more money by not signing a cellular contract and only carry around a camera.

**ZEN:** Hey! Are you saying that this chat room is better without me?!

**ZEN:** (;｀O´)o

**Jumin Han:** I did not.

**ZEN:** You implied it, you jerk!

**Jumin Han:** Although, I would like to see a day where your photos do not take up the whole screen.

**ZEN:** (;｀O´)o

**ZEN:** (;｀O´)o

**Mi-Yeon:** Now, now ^^;

**Mi-Yeon:** I’m sure Jumin appreciates your beauty, Zen. He hired you to advertise, after all.

**Yoosung:** Oh! That’s right! How is that going?

**Jumin Han:** The product is in the last stages of testing. C&R will notify you shortly, Zen.

**ZEN:** (;-_-)ノ

**ZEN:** Thanks…

**707:** Oh! Forgot to mention this important piece of news.

**Jaehee Kang:** More important than hacking into our members’ phones?

**707:** Yes!

**Mi-Yeon:** Σ(･口･)

**707:** We’re having a party later today, so everyone has to come, okay?

**Yoosung:** … -_-

**Yoosung:** …Does the door open?

**Jumin Han:** Later today? It is nearly evening already.

**707:** In… an hour or so.

**Jumin Han:** …I’m busy.

**Jaehee Kang:** Yes, we are incredibly busy.

**707:** I’m even inviting Elizabeth the 3rd so bring her.

**Jaehee Kang:** …

**ZEN:** (;｀O´)o

**ZEN:** Then I’m not going!!

**Yoosung:** lolol

**Yoosung:** I’ll go.

**707:** T_T Everyone has to come…

**707:** What do we do?

**707:** Oh!

**707:** This is a welcome party… for Saeran.

**707:** He said he wanted to get it over with lolol

**707:** So you guys have to come.

**707:** Well… I guess only Jaehee, Zen, and Yoosung do. But the rest of you should still come.

**707:** Why… isn’t anyone saying anything?

**Jaehee Kang:** Why only us three?

**707:** I guess I will leave it as a surprise!

**707:** Ｏ(≧∇≦)Ｏ

**707:** Ｏ(≧∇≦)Ｏ

**Yoosung:** ｢(ﾟﾍﾟ)

**ZEN:** (ﾟヘﾟ)？

**Jumin Han:** …

**Jumin Han:** We’ll have to cancel the meeting.

**Jaehee Kang:** Do you know something, Mr. Han?

**Jumin Han:** …

**Jaehee Kang:** I’ll have to go home to take a shower, then.

**707:** Mi-Yeon?

**Mi-Yeon:** Err…

**Mi-Yeon:** <photo of a sign on the highway>

**Jumin Han:**?

**ZEN:** That’s almost two hours away from downtown… What are you doing all the way out there?

**Mi-Yeon:** Lipstick testing…

**ZEN:** …What?

**707:** Oh~ Take the seventh exit from there and you’ll be early~

**707:** Ｏ(≧∇≦)Ｏ

**Yoosung:** You remember all of the highway exits???

**Jaehee Kang:** With how many cars he owns, it might be more surprising if he doesn’t…

**707:** Everyone’s coming! So excited~

**Yoosung:** Of course!

_Jumin Han has left the chatroom_

_Jaehee Kang has left the chatroom_

**ZEN:** Jumin’s going so don’t invite the cat!! Just invite people! Only people.

**707:** lolololol Aight.

**ZEN:** Hey,

**ZEN:** I’m glad he’s safe.

**707:** Thanks.

_ZEN has left the chatroom_

**Yoosung:** Saeyoung… you’re blessed haha

**Yoosung:** See you later!

**707:** Yup, thanks!

_Yoosung has left the chatroom_

**707:** …

**Mi-Yeon:** I asked my manager to take that exit.

**Mi-Yeon:** Something wrong?

**707:** This messenger,

**707:** I’m so glad I made it lol

_Unknown has entered the chatroom_

**Unknown:** Idiot.

**707:** lololol

**Unknown:** Open the door. It won’t open.

**707:** Ah! Wait~ brother! Lol

_707 has left the chatroom_

**Unknown:** …

**Unknown:** lol

**Mi-Yeon:** ^^

**Mi-Yeon:** Preference?

**Unknown:** New.

_Unknown has left the chatroom_

_Mi-Yeon has left the chatroom_


	45. Welcome Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day Thirty-Five
> 
> Saeran slowly looked up, locking eyes with the first person in his visual field.

“Will you be all right getting home by yourself?” Ye-Jun asked. “This place is a bit far with public transportation. Should I come get you?”

“Don’t worry, I’ll ask someone to drop me off. If not, I’ll take a taxi home.” I replied. “Good night, manager~”

“Good work today.” He said, waving goodbye and pulling out into the street.

All right.

I took a breath and walked to face the door.

“What do you call a pile of cats?” The security system asked in its automated voice.

“Um,” I wracked my mind for every cat pun I could come up with. “A Meowtain.”

“Translate that joke in Arabic.”

I paused. “How about Japanese?”

“Arabic.”

“English?”

“Arabic.”

“…Chinese?” I offered nervously.

“Arabic. You have twenty seconds.”

Before I could take my phone out of my pocket, the heavy door opened, revealing a boy with bleached hair and mint green eyes.

“Thank you.” I said breathily in relief.

“Whatever,” Saeran shrugged, turning his body to let me into his home. He closed the door behind me and walked with me to the living room.

“Mi-Yeon! You made it~” Seven sang loudly. “What’s that?”

“Hello, Seven. It’s a new flavor of ice cream for Saeran to try.” I answered. “And a larger tub of chocolate and vanilla swirl in case we want to share during the party.”

The older twin tilted his head. “Saeran, why don’t you take it to the freezer? Mi-Yeon, can I talk to you?”

I wondered what about, but agreed nonetheless. I handed the plastic bag over to Saeran beside me and walked with Seven to his computer room. “What’s going on?”

“What’s going on?” He repeated, closing the door halfway and turning to me. “You do know my name, don’t you? Scratch that, you said my name before I even told you what it was.”

It was my turn to tilt my head in confusion. “…What?”

“You still call me Seven.” He said.

Ah. That’s right. “That’s still your name, isn’t it?”

“Everyone else calls me Saeyoung now. Well, you guys have a special privilege.” Seven grinned cheekily. “You can, too. I thought you knew that.”

I shifted my eyes away, absently scanning all of the equipment in the room. “I… just figured you’d think I was dirtying your name if I was the one saying it…”

The last time I said it… He was on the verge of panicking. No, he was absolutely panicking. I destroyed everything he ever knew and threw the horrid truth straight in his face. I looked back at him as I felt the pads of his fingers sweep gently across my cheek.

“Sorry...” Seven said gently. “I never did apologize properly for yelling at you that day. It wasn’t your fault.” Before I could react, he tugged me into his body and whispered in my ear. “Sorry for saying those things to you. Thank you for going there to save him.” His arms tightened just slightly. “And I’m sorry for leaving you alone.”

I swallowed a lump in my throat, slowly grabbing onto his shirt. “I’m sorry for not finding a better way to tell you.”

He nodded, pulling back and smiling down at me. “Promise you’ll come to us if there’s something wrong?”

“Sure.” I felt tears prickle my eyes.

Why… did that simple sentence make me react like this?

“Besides, I think my name would sound like a blessing coming from you. Like everything is forgiven and purified.” Saeyoung turned to the door and fully opened it. He reached out and took my hand with another one of his cheeky grins on his lips. “Come on, we shouldn’t leave Saeran by himself for too long.”

“Um…” I stopped him hesitantly, not budging from my spot from the tugging on my hand. “I won’t ask… but you should fix…” I tapped my free fingers on my own neck.

“Is it caking up?” He asked. I felt his hand tense up in mine while he turned and used a blacked out computer monitor as a mirror.

“You probably put too much on.” I suggested, giving him a worried look as I used my ring finger to try to blend it out. Shifting my eyes up just a little, I saw a scab forming on his ear. I could only guess what happened, but I wondered if my bad feeling would prove to be true.

He silently let me fix the makeup for a moment, tilting his head away to give me more room. “Saeran… tried to… hurt himself.”

I looked up; his eyes averted from mine. “…And you stopped him and he retaliated?”

“Something like that.” He trailed off. I did say I wouldn’t ask, so I stopped my prodding there. “You can say ‘you told me so.’”

“Hmm?”

“Maybe it would have been better to keep him at the hospital. But I don’t regret taking him home. We understand each other better now… after this happened.”

I nodded in response, putting my hand down. Sometimes, extreme events brought people closer. I understood that.

The two of us walked out of the computer room and went back into the living room. Saeran wasn’t in there so I took a guess and ventured into the kitchen. There, we found the quieter twin sitting at the table with his new container of ice cream set in front of him. I leaned my forearms on the table while I stayed standing.

“Do you like it?” I sang.

Saeran nodded. “It’s good.”

“New favorite?”

He put a spoonful in his mouth, letting the treat melt on his tongue. “Double Chocolate Chip is better.”

I giggled, standing back up to my full height. “Noted.”

“Saeran~~” Saeyoung groaned, collapsing into the chair next to his brother and draping his arms around Saeran’s body. “Bond with me too!”

“Get off of me.” Saeran hissed, scooting to the edge of his seat.

“Why don’t you guys go get the honeycomb ice cream?” I suggested playfully, pulling up a picture on my phone and setting it on the table. “I heard it’s really good. And with your favoritism towards Honey Buddha Chips, it could be a good combination for you two. Probably.”

“Yes! Great idea, pop star!” Saeyoung cheered. “Let’s go tomorrow.”

“Probably, she says.” Saeran scoffed, shoving another spoonful of ice cream in his mouth.

We sat in the kitchen, idly chatting while we waited. Soon, one-by-one, the others started to arrive. Saeyoung migrated into the living room to entertain his guests while Saeran stayed in the kitchen to avoid eye contact. Saeyoung tasked me with going back and forth to make sure his brother didn’t become lonely until the time was right.

For the moment, I watched as Saeran peaked out into the living room with an awed look on his face.

“There are a lot of people, huh?” I guessed, smiling to reassure him.

“It’s… strange. Seeing everyone in the RFA here when I targeted them once.” Saeran admitted softly, looking down at the table.

I laughed softly, patting his shoulder as I went to the doorway. “I’m sure you’re forgiven, soul mate. Welcome home.”

He turned to me in surprise.

“Sing ‘I am your leaf bread’ in Arabic.” We heard door command.

“Saeyoung!” Yoosung’s loud call bled through even the thick walls.

“Welcome~” Saeyoung greeted, flinging the door wide open.

“How many patterns does this have, anyways? Last time it didn’t ask me that!” The blonde complained, waving to the group in the living room as he entered.

“Multiply 512 by 2048.” Saeyoung replied seriously.

“Gahh! I hate math!” Yoosung groaned.

“Mmm… It’s a bit over a million.” I answered absently, going over my mental math carefully.

“…How…” Zen began slowly.

“…Did you know that…?” Yoosung completed, stopping in his tracks towards the couch.

I sheepishly scratched my cheek. “500 multiplied by 1000 equals 500,000. So I just doubled that. I can’t say I know the exact number, though.”

“I’m impressed.” Jumin commented proudly, coming over to me and patting my shoulder in a congratulatory manner. “People are usually daunted by such high numbers and do not think to split them into simpler forms. Calm and collected as always, Mi-Yeon.”

As I looked up at his taller height, I saw him nod to Saeran over my head.

“You must have been an excellent student, growing up.” Jaehee added. “Although, now your major… does not use numbers.”

“Musical Arts.” I chuckled nervously. “I count beats?”

“So smart, so smart, our soul mate~” Saeyoung cooed. “It’s 1,048,576 by the way.”

“Another genius…” Zen grumbled, leaning his head back on the couch.

“I suddenly feel like I should do better in school…” Yoosung sighed, plopping onto the couch cushion next to the musical actor. “Where’s Saeran, anyways? Isn’t this a welcome party?”

Saeyoung clapped his hands once. “Now that the seven of us are here, we’ve got huge news~!”

“We?” Jaehee questioned.

“Drumroll please!” Saeyoung cheered. “Brrrrrrrrr~”

“Can’t you just tell us?” Yoosung whined.

“My precious baby brother is…” Saeyoung paused for dramatic effect.

“Our seventh soul mate.” Jumin interrupted. The older hacker choked on his own breath at the disruption. “Mi-Yeon and I have already met Saeran once.”

“Whoa…” Zen muttered, his brain coming to a stop from the shock.

“Wh-what?” Yoosung gulped. “Wait! Why did you guys keep this a secret?”

The blonde looked at me first, his eyes sharp. I fidgeted nervously, not knowing what to say. It was true that I kept the fact hidden for far longer than Jumin. Saeyoung didn’t even know despite Saeran’s crest being active on his body.

“Saeran needed time to recover.” I opted to say.

“That’s right,” Saeyoung agreed softly, coming to stand beside Jumin and me. “He… was misled. He didn’t mean the things he did to us. So, everyone, please be kind to my one and only brother.” He bent at the hips and bowed his head.

“Saeyoung…” Jaehee said in awe.

After a short silence, Yoosung rubbed at his watery eyes with the palm of his hand before showing Saeyoung a huge smile. “Of course we will.”

“He’s one of us.” Zen reaffirmed.

I looked over my shoulder as I caught movement in the corner of my eye. Saeran had gotten up from his seat and was just about to shove Saeyoung’s bottom with his foot. The push was only strong enough for Saeyoung to hop a couple inches forward to catch his balance again.

“You… don’t do that for me…” Saeran said under his breath, keeping his eyes lowered.

Saeyoung righted himself and looked at his brother. “Don’t be shy, Saeran~ I’d do anything for you~!”

“It’s good to see that you are well.” Jumin commented.

“…Thanks.” Saeran mumbled.

“Why don’t you say hi to everyone?” Saeyoung suggested.

Saeran slowly looked up, locking eyes with the first person in his visual field.

“Ah wait-“ I inhaled quickly in realization. I was about to jump to his side, but Saeyoung was already prepared when Saeran sucked in a breath through his teeth and clawed at his left sleeve.

“Ow, ow, ow, ow!” Yoosung whimpered, putting his hands over his shoulders and pressing into the back of the couch. “Ahh… hot…” He exhaled after a moment, his cheeks flushed.

Without warning, Zen hissed next. “Ugh, give a guy a little heads up will you?”

“Maybe you should take a break.” I suggested worriedly, going to Saeran’s side that wasn’t occupied by his brother.

“It’s fine.” The younger twin exhaled. One of his eyes closed instinctively from the hot pain. “Just do it.” He looked up again, searching for the woman who was also one of his soul mates.

“You’re health is more important, I believe.” Jaehee interrupted with her back turned to us. “I am not sure of the effects of multiple bonds initiating at once, but you must be exhausted. We can do this another time.”

“You’re already here, let’s just get it over with.” Saeran replied, gulping in some air as his body relaxed a bit. He continued with a dry, self-mocking sneer. “This couldn’t be half as bad for me as that salvation elixir. It’s not your body, so what are you so scared for?”

“It is _because_ it is not my body that I am worried.” Jaehee informed in a steady voice.

“Yeah, because all _you_ have all day is coffee.” Yoosung pouted.

“Well… whatever.” Saeran mumbled, shifting his eyes away nervously. “We never have to start that soul crap if you don’t want to. It’s not like I expect it for someone like me…”

“Saeran,” Saeyoung called out in surprise.

“Now wait a moment, that is not what I-“ Jaehee was accosted with bright, mint green eyes as she turned around to dispute Saeran’s claim.

I quickly caught Saeran’s arm that was closest to me as his knees buckled while Saeyoung wrapped his arm around his brother’s waist. Together, we lowered him gently to the ground. Perhaps three bonds were too many at once, after all. Saeran seemed like he couldn’t catch his breath. Even under his clothes, the arm I was holding was giving off heat much warmer than normal body temperature.

“Don’t be so reckless.” Jumin commented, taking Saeran’s arm from me and putting it over his own shoulders. The businessman carefully stood up, Saeyoung following suit while supporting Saeran’s other side. “Assistant Kang, are you all right?”

“Yes, I’m fine.” Jaehee answered. Zen and Yoosung were next to her, leading her to the couch to sit.

“Here, let Saeran have a seat, too.” Zen said, adjusting the pillows to free a spot on the other side of the furniture.

“It’s fine.” Saeran protested weakly, taking his arms back from the two older men and standing on his own, his legs shaky. He slowly made his way back into the kitchen. “Just… leave me be.”

“Take it easy, will you?” Saeyoung replied worriedly, following his brother.

I quickly smiled reassuringly towards the others and also went into the kitchen. I found a clean dishtowel on the counter and grabbed it, opening the freezer next.

“I told you to leave me.” Saeran growled half-heartedly. He sat down heavily.

“As if.” Saeyoung huffed back, putting a palm to Saeran’s forehead. “No one’s ever done three in a row before. But… Mi-Yeon, you met Jumin and Zen on the same day, didn’t you?”

“Yeah, however that was a couple hours apart. I also met Yoosung and Jaehee on the same day.” I replied, setting down the larger container of ice cream I bought and wrapped the dishtowel around it. “This arm, right?” I gently took his left wrist and pushed his forearm against the side of it. “And here, you can eat it, too.” I added playfully, handing him a spoon.

“The effects that time didn’t last nearly this long.” Saeyoung whispered. “You’re burning up.”

“Maybe he turned into a computer and overheated.” I joked. Saeyoung narrowed his eyes at me, although there wasn’t much anger behind his gaze. I walked around Saeran’s chair and turned Saeyoung around by the shoulders. “It’ll pass.” I lifted myself to the balls of my feet and whispered in his ear. “If something happens, we’ll hear the spoon fall first.”

Saeyoung sighed in defeat, knowing that his brother much preferred to not be fussed over.

“How is he?” Jumin asked the moment we were out of the kitchen doorway.

“He just needs a moment.” I informed, lightly pushing Saeyoung’s back until he sat on the couch. “Right?”

“Yeah.” Saeyoung exhaled, leaning his head on the back of the couch.

Yoosung tilted his head in confusion.

“Can’t win against her?” Zen chuckled. It was my turn to be confused. “Nothing, babe~”

Jaehee cleared her throat. “So this is what you meant by surprise.”

“However, Saeran did not have to ‘get it over with’.” Jumin commented. “I hope we were not giving the impression that we were rushing him.”

“Nah,” Saeyoung shrugged, tilting his head back down and smiling mischievously. “That was Mi-chan’s fault.”

“Eh?” I started in surprise. “Mine?”

“Tell me, Saeyoung~ I know you know the answer. I feel so left out~ Help me, God Seven!” Saeyoung cried, changing his voice strangely.

“I didn’t say that…?” I questioned, raising an eyebrow.

“You’re right. It was Zen.” Saeyoung grinned.

“That was an impersonation of me?!” The musical actor yelled. “That didn’t sound anything like me! And I never said that last part!”

“I thought it was accurate.” Jumin commented with a shrug.

“Trust fund kid…” Zen growled.

“I must disagree. Zen’s voice is much smoother.” Jaehee corrected with a nod.

“Guys,” Yoosung called out sheepishly.

Saeyoung laughed jovially, cutting into the playful argument. “Out of consideration for my dear brother, Mi-Yeon kept things under wraps. Everyone started asking her things, didn’t you?”

Zen fell silent, looking away guiltily. Yoosung also blushed slightly.

“Well, the naughty girl deflected everything to me,” Saeyoung continued and poked at my cheek. “With all the phone calls, Saeran was bound to hear something. Precious little Mi-Yeon was having a hard time because of him, so he had to do something~”

“I wasn’t having a ha-“ I gulped as a flash of silver flew pass my vision.

“Ow!” Saeyoung yelped. A spoon slid down his chest and landed on his lap. “Brother, that’s dangerous~” He pouted.

“Then stop saying weird things.” Saearn huffed; his cheeks lightly flushed as he leaned against the doorframe.

Jumin chuckled deeply, crossing his arms in a relaxed manner. “I hope you continue to take care of your brother. It hasn’t been long since he’s recovered. I mean… you are recovered fully, right?”

Saeran nodded silently in reply.

“What are you doing, bro? Come here!” Zen called, motioning with his hand.

“What’s with that bro?” Yoosung laughed.

“Let’s take a picture!” Saeyoung piped up, jumping from his seat and going to his computer room to grab a camera and tripod. “Saeran, come here!”

Being trained to listen for every tiny sound, I turned my head in the direction a strange noise came from. With everyone preoccupied momentarily, I walked away unnoticed. Peaking around the corner into the hallway that led to the front door, I was surprised to see who managed to get through the security and open it. “Oh,”

“Oh? Hmm… that voice belongs to… Mi-Yeon, right? Is that you?”

“Hello, V.” I said gently, walking to his side. As to not startle him, I made a little more noise with my steps than I usually would and held his free hand. “What happened to your eyes?”

The photographer touched the bandages wrapped around his head and covering his eyes, a white cane dangled from his wrist with the movement. “Jumin took the… hmm… _liberty_ of having the doctors reexamine my eyes when they repaired my shoulder from the gunshot. I… I decided to go through with the corrective surgery.”

“Is that where you’ve been?” I nudged lightheartedly, beginning to lead him down the hallway. “I’m happy for you.”

“Thank you.” He chuckled in relief.

“Mi-Yeon? Where’d you- Oh.” Yoosung gasped, stopping in front of us. “You’re… You’re here.”

“Hello, Yoosung. I came to see how everyone was doing. How are you?”

The blonde looked away for a moment before finding his courage and staring straight at the older man. “You should have come sooner. Aren’t you our leader? Shouldn’t you make sure everyone is okay?”

“I will do better from now on.” V smiled, stepping forward. I guided him with the hand I held to make sure he didn’t bump into anything. I stopped him just in front of Yoosung. He reached out a hand and cautiously put it on Yoosung’s head in a patting manner. “I promise.”

“You… Better keep that.” The college student said firmly. “Come on, we’re taking a picture.” He took V’s other hand.

“Shall I take the picture?”

“Trust fund kid, if you take it, we’ll be here for the next year.”

“We’ll use the timer, so what’s the harm?” Saeyoung laughed.

“A timer? On a camera?”

“…Never mind, we’ll be here for an eternity.”

“Hire a driver to drive and a photographer to take pictures, huh, Jumin?” V piped up in amusement.

“V!”

“I see you received the car I sent for you.” Jumin commented. “Is your recovery from eye surgery going well?”

“According to schedule.” V replied.

I saw Saeran shift nervously, flitting his eyes to and fro from V’s shoulder and the ground.

“Is your shoulder okay, now, too?” I asked.

“Not as good as new, yet. But it’s good. Very good.” V smiled, probably having caught on. “And how are you, Saeran? You’re here, too, aren’t you?”

Saeran was silent for a moment before mumbling in a small voice. “…I’m fine.”

“That makes me very happy to hear. Welcome home, Saeran.”

“Now that we’re all here, let’s get that picture taken.” Saeyoung suggested, adjusting the camera on the tripod. “Come on, people, before the next century rolls around~”

“Do you think it’ll be like taking a family photo?” Yoosung questioned, tugging V’s arm towards the sofa.

“Well, we practically are family.” Jumin answered.

“I can’t believe Jumin’s saying that… Yo, trust fund kid! You can be my little brother, then.” Zen said with conviction.

“Sorry, but I’m older.”

“Tch.” The musical actor scoffed.

Saeran stood off to the side. “…There’s no space.”

“Sit here,” Yoosung said jovially, letting V go and grabbing Saeran’s wrist to have the younger twin sit on the couch. “I’ll be here.” The college student sat on the couch’s arm.

“I’ll stand beside Mr. Han.” Jaehee said from the other side of the couch.

“I’ll do that, too.” V agreed. I had Jumin guide his best friend the rest of the way.

“Then I’ll be here.” Zen sang, scooting in between Jaehee and Jumin to be directly in the center.

“Mi-Yeon, why don’t you take the middle?” The businessman suggested, patting the couch.

“Huh? Me?”

“Why not?” Saeyoung laughed, adjusting the camera frame a bit more. “You’re our special little catalyst of fate~”

“We’re ready!” Yoosung cheered after seeing that everyone had a spot.

“The camera will go off in ten seconds.” Saeyoung announced, racing to the last available seat on the couch. “Saeran…”

“Don’t talk to me. We’re taking a photo.” Saeran snorted.

“I’m happy. I’m so, so happy…” Saeyoung sighed, his eyes becoming a little wet.

“…Idiot.”

“We are all one family.” The older twin chuckled.

“We are the RFA! Cheese!”

And the flash of the camera went off.


	46. No Longer Drowning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day ???
> 
> As long as the seven of us were no longer drowning, we could move forward.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How was it? Did you enjoy yourself? ^^
> 
> Even if it is over, comments and kudos are always welcomed and appreciated!
> 
> Thank you for sticking with this story for so long!

Black soot covered the ground, slowly skittering across the surface with the light breeze. Like the shadows of hell were climbing up the foliage, obscure marks burned the trees. Some were broken and fallen over; others were only half of what they use to be. With no leaves to provide cover, the sun blazed down onto the barren Earth directly.

However, like all life forms, the forest started to regrow and replenish. Young seedlings emerged from the ashen ground. The clouds would eventually defeat the sweltering heat and provide nourishment. With time, everything would even out, once more.

Like the seedlings slowly growing, our trust was rebuilding little by little.

Their trust in me.

Behind me, the foliage that was left untouched by the sudden liar’s wildfire rustled. I looked over my shoulder and saw Zen’s silver soul walking up to me. He reached out and took my hand, tugging me away from the spot I was rooted at. The shadowy chains imprisoning my mind to my mistake crumbled away.

He led me towards the other side of our dreamscape. Just as we were about to emerge from the tree line, I saw Jumin’s dark blue soul and Jaehee’s yellow soul standing on the sand, staring out towards the water.

Zen tugged on my hand a little more insistently, more excitably. When we made it onto the shore, I could see why. Yoosung’s green soul and Saeyoung’s red soul were carefully leading Saeran’s light blue soul out of the deep, unforgiving ocean. One hand in each of his soul mates’, Saeran allowed them to pull him free.

His feet couldn’t be released from the waves lapping at the sand; however being able to emerge from his mental turmoil was more than enough for now. With time, we could heal each other.

As long as the seven of us were no longer drowning, we could move forward.

With time and with patience, Saeran would be able to walk freely.

Zen tugged me forward again, joining the group by the water. The two of us completed the group. For the first time in a very long time, we were all here. Together.

The seven of us looked at each other fondly.

A surprise fiancée, a public scandal, a missing brother, a cult, the truth behind it all – we’d been through many hardships in the short time we’d known each other. What didn’t kill us made us stronger. And now, our bonds were stronger than ever and strengthening everyday. Naturally, little by little, we’ll learn about each other.

We’ll have our bad days and we’ll have our good days. As long as we held onto each other, and listened to each other, we’d unlikely submerge to our limits. Our intertwined futures were looking brighter – like the clouds were drifting away for the sun to shine down on us and allow the moon to guide our darkest days. All we needed to do was take one step at a time.

We were no longer drowning under the current.

And we’d never allow one of our own to suffer like that alone ever again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look out for the sequel~
> 
> “Life Ring”
> 
> Sometimes the tides turn in our favor.  
> Sometimes the tides turn against us.  
> There was no shame in asking for a little assistance.  
> We settle into our fate, our lives now irreversibly intertwined together…  
> … And have our first taste of love.


End file.
